How to collect and observe insects

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HARVARD UNIVERSITY.

I^arbarli CoUege liirarg

FROM

JOHN HARVEY TREAT,

OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
(Class of x86a).

Received April 25, 1888.

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HOW TO COLLECT AND OBSERVE

INSECTS. J,, , /> r/ 'Ai^

BY

A. & PACKARD,. JR.

From she Bbpoet or thb Maini Soiertiiio Surybt iob 186^

3
AUGUSTA:
PKIl^TiSJ) AT THE &ENNEBBO JOUBlfAL OFflClfi.
1863.

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ENTOMOLOaiCAL REPORT.

Brunswick, December 28, 1862.
To (he OenUemen in charge qf the Scientific Surrey :

I transmit herewith some instructions about collecting and ob-
serving the insects of our State, which will, I hope, lead to an
extended cooperation in furthering the knowledge of the habits and
forms of our noxious and beneficial insects.
Very respectfully.

Your obedient servant,

A. S. PACKARD, Jr.
Dr. E. HoLifBs,
Prof. 0. H. Hitchcock.

HOW TO OBSERVE AND COLLECT INSECTS.

Insects in General.

That branch of the Animal Kingdom, known as Articulata, is so
called from having the body composed of rings, like short cylin*
ders, which are placed successively one behind the other. In the
class of Worms these rings or segments, are arranged in a contin-
uous row, and their number is indefinite. The organs of locomo-
tion consist of branches of cilia and bristles placed in a row, one
on each side of the body ; while on the first ring there are slender
feelers directed forwards and placed around the mouth-opening.
In the class of Crustacea this continuity of rings is broken ; and
there is a definite number, (21) which are gathered into two re-
gions ; the head-thorax and abdomen. The number of jointed legs
is also indefinite, the number varying from ten to fourteen. In the
class of Insects, the number of rings is still more limited, (14,) the
head is distinctly separated from the thorax, thus forming, with
the abdomen or hind-body, three distinct regions. ,^

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4 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

In the Insects again, there are three modes of disposing the
rings, and their appendages :

1. Where the number of segments is indefinite, and much like
each other in form, supporting both thoracic and abdominal legs ;
as in the order of Myriapoda,

2. Where the head and thorax are closely united ; and there
are eight pairs of legs attached to the thorax alone, as in the
Arachnida,

3. Where there are three distinct regions to the body; the
head, thorax and abdomen, as in the Inseota. Moreover the true
insects have three pairs of legs attached to the thorax ; and are
winged.

The Myriapods grow by the addition of rings, after hatching from
the egg ; the Arachnids by frequent moultings of the skin ; while
the winged insects pass through a distinct metamorphosis. The
young insect after being hatched from the egg is called the larva,
from the Latin term meaning a mask, since it was the ancient be-
lief that it concealed beneath its skin the form of the perfect insect.
When full-fed, the pupa-skin rapidly forms beneath the tegument,
and the insect in that form escapes through a slit in the back of the
larva. The perfect insect is often called the imago. The larval
state of insects which resembles worms, has also an analogous
form to the Myriapods ; so spiders are analogous to Crustacea,
while reminding us of the pupa state of the winged insects.

Moreover, worms and Crustacea are, generally speaking, aquatic,
breathing by gills, while insects are terrestrial and breathe by
pores in the side of the body which communicates with a complex
system of air tubes, including tubular blood vessels.

The order of winged-insects is subdivided into seven divisions,
occupying an intermediate rank between orders and families, and
called by naturalists suborders. Of these the Eymenoptera seem
to be highest in the scale, and the Neuroptera the lowest.

Before characterizing these suborders, a few explanations will be
necessary to understand the terms applied to the different parts.
In insects as in the higher animals, the parts are repeated on either
side of the middle of the body, with the exception of the single
intestinal canal, and the dorsal vessel, which performs the frinc-
tions of a heart.

In this head of a bee here figured we have all the parts connected
with the function of sensation, and those adapted for seizing and

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SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 5

^^^' ^- chewing the food. Two large eyes

(a) composed of numerous facets,
and three small simple eyelets (c) ar-
ranged in a triangle on the top of the
head, and the antennae or feelers, (d)
composed of numerous joints, are the
most important sensory organs. — A
pair of mandibles (/) for grasping,
often .toothed for tearing the food;
two maxillae (i) for collecting and
manipulating the food, on the base of
which is a pair of palpi, (h) or touch-
ers, which are used in conjunction
with the antenna, as feelers ; together
with another pair articulated on to the
labium (Z) or so-called under lip, cor
responding to the labrum or upper lip,
which is attached to the clypeus (6) ;
and the labium which is prolonged into the lingua (Jc) or tongue
having a pair of rude palpi-like organs called the paraglossce (m),
form the organs for seizing and chewing the food.

Of the three rings of the thorax, the first (prothorax) is special-
ized to support the head ; the second (meso-thorax) carries the
first pair of wings (primaries;) the ihiid'{meta'ihorax) carries the
second pair (secondaries .) To each of these three rings is articu-
lated a pair of five-jointed legs, of which the last joint or tarsus
is divided into five smaller joints, the last terminating in two
claws. The abdomen contains the viscera, and the organs of repro-
duction, surrounded, externally, by several pairs of sheath-like
pieces in the male, which are in the female united into the oviposi-
tor and its sheath-pieces. All these parts exist in a rudimentary
state in the larva and pupa.

Hymenoptera, (Bees, wasps, &c.) are known by their hard com-
pact bodies, distinct head and thorax, the small narrow wings
irregularly veined, and by the possession of a hard ovipositor, often
forming a poisonous "sting. Their transformations are the most
complete of all insects. The larva being most generally a white
footless, helpless grub, partly curved, and rapidly tapering at each
end. The pupa has the limbs free, contained in a thin silken
cocoon. The species are all terrestrial.
2*

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6 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

Lepidopiera, (Butterflies and moths,) have the mandibles obso-
lete, the maxillae greatly prolonged and rolled up between the labial
palpi ; and soft bodies covered with scales ; and broad, regularly
veined wings, also covered with dust-like scales. Their transforma-
tions are complete. The active larvae assuipe a worm-like form
with several pairs (1-6) of fleshy false legs besides the thoracic
ones ; they spin silken cocoons before changing to pupae (chrysa-
lids, nymphs,) with the exception of the butterflies. The limbs of
the chrysalids are soldered together, and the abdomen is movable
upon the head and thorax. Some of the lower families are some-
what aquatic, feeding on water plants.

Dipiera, (flies) have the mouth parts formed into a kind of pro-
boscis ; the second pair of wings are undeveloped, being reduced
to a pair of pedicelled knobs serving as balancers or poisers. Their
transformations are complete, the larva being maggots or elongated
worm-like embryos. The pupas often change within the skin of
the larvae, which serves as a cocoon. The limbs are free. Many
of the species are aquatic. Here we first find wingless parasites.

Coleoptera, or beetles, are known by their hard bodies, free and
well developed mouth -parts, and by the first pair of wings being
hardened into sheaths (elytra) for the protection of the second pair.
The larvsB called grubs, often have a terminal prop-leg besides the
thoracic or true jointed legs, and pass by a complete metamorphosis
to the imago state. The pupae are often protected by a cocoon,
and have their limbs free. Some of the species are aquatic. One
family is parasitic but is winged.

Hemiptera (bugs,) have the mouth parts formed into a sucking
tube. The first pair are often thickened at the base and laid flat
upon the abdomen^ are thin, somewhat net veined, and inclined
over the hind body. The transformations are incomplete, as in the
orthoptera. The species are largely aquatic* Some lower groups
are true wingless parasites.

Orthoptera (grasshoppers,) have free mouth parts, and the or-
gans of nutrition very highly developed. The first pair of wings
are still partly hardened to protect the broad ne.t-veined hind pair
which fold up like a fan upon the abdomen. The transformations
are not complete, the larvae and pupae resembling closely the
imago, both being active. All the species are terrestrial.

Neuroptera have the mouth parts free again, the wings large and
net-veined, the hind pair being often larger than the pnmaries.

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SCEBNTIPIC SURVEY. 7

Their bodies are more elongated than those of other insects. The
metamorphosis is incomplete, the lavae and pup® closely resemble
the imagines, and are both active, and with few exceptions thej
are all aquatic. The different species present strong analogies to
all of the other suborders. The wingless lower genera present
more analogies than other insects to the Myriapods.

Insects differ sexually in that the female generally nas one abdom-
inal ring less, and in being larger, fuller and duller colored than
the males, while the males have often marked differences in the
' sculpture and ornamentation. In collecting. Whenever the two sexes
are found united they should be pinned upon the same pin, the male
being placed highest. When we take one sex alone, we may feel
sure that the other is somewhere in the vicinity ; perhaps while one
is flying about so as to be easily captured, the other is hidden under
some leaf, or resting on the trunk of some tree near by, when every
bush must be vigorously beaten by the net. Many species rare in
most places have a metropolis when they occur in great abundance*
There are also insect years like apple years, when a species is more
abundant than for three or four years succeeding. The collector
should then lay up a store, against years of scarcity.

In different seasons of the year insects are found in different
stages ; thus there are spring and fall insects, and summer species
alone. Few insects hybernate in the perfect state, the species is
more often represented in winter by the egg, or larva, orpup^. . At
no time of the year need the entomologist rest from his labors.
In the winter, under the bark of trees and in moss he can find
many species, or on trees, &c. detect their eggs, which »he can
mark for spring observation when they hatch out.

He need not relax his endeavors day or night. Mothing is night
employment. Skunks and toads entomologize at night. Early in
the morning, at sunrise, when the dew is still on the leaves, insects
are sluggish and easily taken with the hand ; so at dusk when
many species are found flying ; and in the night, when many spe-
cies fly that hide themselves by day, and many caterpillars leave
their retreats to come out and feed, and the lantern can be used
with success to draw them out, the collector will be rewarded with
many rarities.

Jl?here are species frequenting gardens, lawns, fields and deep
woods, and swamps and pools, that are not met with away fron\

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8 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

those localities. So there are insects frequenting mountains that
are not found in the vallies below. More lepidoptera inhabit the
summits of high mountains than beetles and other insects. In
Maine there are found species which inhabit- the sea *coast alone,
others that abound most on the sandy plains that run back from
the sea to meet the hills of the interior, and some of the most pro-
ductive places are those towns situated on the border of the low
lands and hilly regions of the State. Other species are found only
in the thick forests of the wild lands.

Moreover it has been found that two assemblages of insects
called faunae, people the surface of the State. The one called the
Canadian fau^na comprises a large mass of species that inhabit
British North America, the Great Lakes, and the lakes and forests
of northern Maine, including Eastport and the coast towards Mt.
Desert. The other assemblage called the Alleghaiiian fauna, is
that which covers the southern half of the State, besides New-
England generally, (except the White Mountain region which be-
longs to the Canadian fauna,) and sweeps down the Alleghany
range towards the southern States. The plants of the summit of
Mount Katahdin belong to a more arctic region still than the Can-
adian flora ; whether the insects partake of the subarctic character
remains to be determined.

Htmenoptera.
In studying this suborder we must remember that every part of
the body va.nQQ m iovm in the 'different genera, forming admirable
and plain distinctions to characterize the genera. To the form of
the head and its appendages, that of the thorax and its appendages,
the wings in the venation of which we can perceive at a glance
those characters which separate genera, and in the legs especially of
the fossorial families, where there are found to be great diflFerences,
the student must look closely. The best specific characters lie in
the sculpturing and color, but the spots and markings are apt to
vary greatly. The great differences in the sexes are liable to mis-
lead the student, and hence large collections are indispensible to
their proper study. The Hymenoptera are the most numerous in
species of all the suborders except the Coleoptera. They have
been less studied in this country than almost any other suborder,
though so deserving from their interesting habits. Especial atten-
tion should be paid to collecting the smaller species, and to the
families of the Chalcididae, the Cynipidae and the Crdbronidae.

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SOENTIFIC SURVEY. 9

They should be pinned through the hard thorax, high up on the
pin, and numbers should be preserved in alcohol.

Their habits should be studied long and patiently, and attention
be given to rear in the same way as given for Lepidoptera, the
saw-flies, the gall-flies, &c. The Eurytomae can be found in wheat
fields, &c., after harvest ; the galls in autumn.

Apidae, (honey bees, bumble bees, &c.) They are known from
• other families by their bodies being densely hirsute, the mouth .
parts lengthened and partially united to form a kind of proboscis
that can be folded up out of sight under the head ; and in their
broad, flattened hirsute hind legs, adapted for collecting and carry-
ing pollen. They are social, and the species often consists of males,
or drones ; females, or queens ; and im^rfect females, or workers,
improperly called neuters, which are much smaller than the others.
Apis mellifica is the honey bee, whoQC complex ceconomy and hives
are well known. Siebold, a German physiologist, has ascertained
that the queen and neuters are hatched from fertilized eggs, while
the drones come from eggs that are unfertilized. There is one
qileen to a colony or swarm. The workers sometimes lay eggs .
producing male's, and there is a difl^erence between them in other
respects. The humble bees (Bombus) contain many species, which
build hemispherical nests of moss under ground in pastures. The
cells are large, oval and partially separate. There are from fifty to
seventy in a swarm. The nests are built by the females, of which
there are several in the spring which survive the winter -^ they then
lay their eggs, which hatch out the workers late in the summer ;
soon after another brood of males and females alone, and in the fall,
still later, a few more of both sexes appear. There are two kinds
of females ; the earlie]: born difiering in size and producing male
eggs only ; so also there are two kinds of workers. The remaining
species are solitary, and consist of males and females only.

Xylocopa, the Carpenter-bee, has black wings; it forms a tube
a foot long, in which it lays its eggs, arranged in successive layers
in masses of pollen.

Megachile, the Leaf-cutter, cuts circular pieces out of leaves, with
which it makes a honey-tight cartridge-like cell, which it builds in
holes excavated in trees and rotten wood.

Osmia, the Mason-bee, is blueish, and has a circular abdomen.
It constructs its nest of sand, large enough to hold three to eight
cells, in crevices in fences. Other specie burrow in the sunny

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10 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

side of cliffs or sand banks, or in rotten trees ; while others occupy
dead snail shells.

Goelioxys, with a sharp triangular abdomen, is parasitic, laying
its eggs in the nests of Megachile, Osmia and other bees.

Nomada is not hirsute, and in its slender form and gay colors re-
sembles wasps. It enters the nests of Andrjena and feeds on its
food, hence it is called the Cuckoo-bee.

Andrena resembles very much the hive bee, though it is smaller.
The Andrenae " are all burrowers in the ^ound, some species pre-
ferring banks of light earth, others hard, trodden pathways, &c. ;
their burrows differ in depth, but are seldom less than about six,
whilst others excavate to^ine or ten inches ; at the bottom of each
burrow is formed a small oval cell or chamber, in which the indus-
trious female lays up a small pellet of pollen mixed with honey ;
these little balls are usually about the size of a garden-pea, varying
somewhat in size in different species.*' Smith.

Halictus is one of the smallest of the family. Angochlora em-
braces bees whose bodies are slightly hirsute, and of a rich shiny
green.

Mr. Fred. Smith, an English entomologist, says of the economy of
this genus, that " it is so remarkably different from that of all other
solitary bees, except of those belonging to the genus Sphecodea,
that I am surprised it had escaped the researches of my predeces-
sors, who> like myself, ' have loved to hear the wild bees' hum.'
It will be observed that the females of Halictus and Sphecodes make
their appearance in June, and are to be found from that time until
late in autumn ; but no males of these genera will be observed un-
til long after the appearance of the females : my observations on a
colony of H, morio will serve as the history of the whole genus,
making allowance for the different periods of their appearance.
' Early in April the females appeared, and continued in numbers up
to the end of June ; not a single male was to be found at any time ;
during the month of July scarcely an individual was to be found ;
a solitary female now and then might be seen, but the spring bees
had almost disappeared; about the middle of August the males
began to come forth, and by the end of the month abounded ; the
females succeeded the males in their appearance about ten or twelve
days : these industrious creatures began the tasks assigned to them,
burrowing and forming their nests ; one of their little tunnels had
usually others running into it, so that a single common entrance

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SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. H

served as a passage to several cells, in each of which a little ball
of pollen was formed, and a single egg deposited thereon; the
larvae were usually ten or twelve days consuming it, by which
time they were fully fed ; in this stateJ^ they lay until they changed
to the pupa-state, when they very shortly became matured.' I
have reared individuals of H. ruMcundv^ from the egg to the per-
fect insect ; on the 16th of July I procured cells containing, the
pollen balls, with an egg on each ; in twelve days the larvae were
full-fed ; the change to the pupa-state took place about the 25th of
August, and during the first week of September the perfect state
was acquired. The history of HalictiLS, therefore, is as follows :
the males and females appear in the autumn ; the latter being im-
pregnated, pass the winter in the perfect state, appearing during
the following season to perform their economy, as detailed above
in the case ofH. morioJ^

All these females of solitary species are found in spring on the
blossoms of fruit trees, of wild cherries and about flowers.

Vespidae, (wasps, yellow-jackets.) The hornet is the Vespa era-
bro of Europe. The group is characterized by the folding of the
wings, longitudinally. Vespa lives in colonies of three kinds of
individuals, constructing complex nests either under ground or
attached to the branches of trees, consisting of several galleries of
hexagonal cells, with their mouths downward, connected and sup-
ported by pedicels, and surrounded by an outer papery envelop.
The females which have siprvived the winter begin in the spring to
form their small nests, consisting of a single tier of a few cells, in
which they lay their eggs and feed the young workers. The males
and females do not appear until autumn. Reaumur has observed •
that there are two sizes among the males.

" Notwithstanding the powerful sting of the wasp, it is liable to .
the attacks of other insects. Bhipiphorus paradoxus and the larva
of a Volucella infests its nests, de\ curing the larva ; as does also
Anomahn vesparum, and another species of Ichneumon. Dr. Leach
also mentions that wasps are much infested by Lebia linearis, I
have also observed a spider sucking a wasp, which it had killed."
— Westwood,

Wasps should, if possible, be collected by the whole colony,
when the individual variation of the three kinds of individuals — the
m*ales, females and workers — can be studied. For this purpose
visit the nests by night, plug up the hole with a sponge saturated

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12 ENTOMOLOGICAL UP(»IT.

wiih ether or chloroform, and the inhabitants can ihus be stifled.
Or stand by the nest and net the insects as they go to or from the
hole. Little or nothing is known about these interesting insects in
this country, and persons who will spend the time can find out
much that is new to their history. The following genera have no
workers :

The common brown Polisies builds an exposed nest, consisting
of few or many cells arranged in one tier, and attached to Leaves
and twigs by a short pedicel.

The solitary wasps, Odynerus and Eumenes, build nests of sand
glued together and hidden in cavities, hollow branches, &c., and
they store them with great numbers of caterpillars, flies, larvae of
beetles, and spiders. Thus it seems that the larvae of the social
wasps are daily fed with sweets by the workers, while those of the
solitary species, which have no workers, have a store of insect-
food laid up for them by the female.

The following families are truly fossorial sand-diggers, making
iheir holes in sunny paths, &c., of which the ants are the most
fjBimiliar examples. Their ovipositor is adapted for stinging, and by
the poison conveyed into the wound, for benumbing their victims,
which live for a long time half alive, for the larvae to feed upon.

" Although there is much general similarity in the habits of the
truly fossorial species^ there is considerable diversity in the details
of their proceedings : thus, whilst Oxybelvs conveys its prey by
means of its hind legs, PompiJua and AmmophUa walk backwards,
dragging it with thei): mandibles. ' Aatata, Tachytes, Fsen, Grabro,
Mellinua and Cerceris fly bodily and directly forward with it in
. their mandibles, assisted by their forelegs.' Skuckard. From my
own observations each species appears ordinarily to confine itsdf
to its own particular prey. Instances are on record, however, in
which considerable diversity in the prey of the same species has
been observed ; this probably arose from the female not being
able to discover. her legitimate prey; thus Serville and Saint
Fargeau state that Bembex rostrcUa indifferently collects the speciet
of EristaMs, Stratiorrvys, and the larger Muscidae ; but it may be
regarded as the ordinary rule that each species confines itself to its
peculiar prey : thus, numbers of the same species of fly or larva
are found in the same cell, although this must sometimes be a mat-
ter of diflSculty ." * ♦ ♦ « xhe prey is moreover very various,
comprising insects of nearly every order ; the Goleoptera, Hem-

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SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 18

iptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera and spiders, contributing
to the support of this tribe ; and insects in the larva, pupa and
imago state are employed for this purpose. The number of indi-
viduals enclosed in each celjl varies according to the size of the
species, and of the progeny for whose support it is buried : thus,
whilst Ammophila sabulosa buries a single lepidopterous larva, as
many as fifty or sixty Aphides are shut up in a single cell by other
species." WestiJoood,

Grabronidae, sand-wasps. It is this family that many of the
Syrphus-flies resemble so closely. They have cuboidal heads,
a somewhat flattened, spherical thorax, and a flattened abdomen,
rarely pedicelled. The fore legs are broad, adapteji for digging,
and they often have a broad, banner-like expansion, to use perhaps
as a shovel, while the hind and middle legs are spined for retaining
the prey the sand-wasp carries off. The insects are of moderate
size ; they are found resting on leaves in the sunshine. They occur
generally rarely, and little is known of the extent or habits of the
family in this country. Crabro (Fig. 5) has slender legs, and digs
into rotten posts, fences, stumps, where it Fig. 6.

makes its nest, provisioning it with cater-
pillars, flies, &c.. Oorytes has been seen
protruding her sting into the frothy secre-
tiofi of Tettigoniae on grass, and carrying
off the insect. Oxyhelus is a small, stout
black genus, "its prey consists of Diptera,
which it has a peculiar mode of carrying by the hind legs the while it
either opens the aperture of its burrow or else forms a new one with
its anterior pair. Its flight is low, and in skips.; it is very active."
Trypoxylon has a long, club-shaped abdomen, and is black through-
out. *' Mr. Johnson has detected it frequenting the holes of a post
pre-occupied by a species of Odynerus, and into which it conveyed
a small round ball, or pellet, containing about fifty individuals of a
species of Aphis ; this the Odynerus, upon her return, invariably
turned out, flying out with it, held by her legs, to the distance of
about a foot from the aperture of ber cell, where she hovered a
moment, and then let it fall ; and this was constantly the case till
the Trypoxylon had sufficient time to mortar up the orifice of the
hole*, and the Odynerus was then entirely excluded ; for although
she would return to the spot repeatedly, she never endeavored to
force the entrance, but flew off to seek another hole elsewhere."

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14 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

Siuckard. Cerceris has a long abdomen, with convex rings. It
is gaily marked with golden yellow. It has not been known to
use its sting upon its captors. It lays up stores of young grasshop-
pers and Curculionidae. " Philanthns burrows in hot sandy situa-
tions, and provisions its nests with hive-bees ; a single individual
of which, after being stung, is deposited with an egg ; and as each
deposits five or six eggs, the number of bees destroyed must be at
least equal to that, if not more considerable, which is most proba-
ble ; and Latreille counted as many as fifty or sixty females occu-
pied in making their burrows in a space of ground one hundred and
twenty feet long." Westwood,

This is a most diflScult family to study. The two sexes differ
greatly, and are apt to be mistaken for distinct species, and the
collector is fortunate if he comes upon a " metropolis '' of a species.
In limiting the species, more value must be placed upon the size
and sculpture than the coloration, which varies greatly.

Larridae, This is rather a small group, having a sessile conical
flattened abdomen, and with the legs of the females very hirsute.
They are generally dark in color. They are caught about sand-
banks. Larra provisions its nests with the caterpillars of small
moths.

Bembecidae, We have but two genera, Bembex and Monedula,
which have large heads and flattened bodies, bearing a strong re-
semblance to syrphus flies from their similar coloration. The
labrum is very large and long, triangular, like a beak. The species
are very active, flj^ng rapidly about flowers with a loud hum.
" The female Bembex burrows in sand to a considerable depth,
burying various species of Diptera (Syrphidae, Jkfuscidae, &c.,)
and depositing her eggs at the same time in company with them,
upon which the larvae, when hatched, subsist. When a' sufficient
store has been collected, the parent closes the mouth of the cell
with earth.'' "An anonymous correspondent in the Ent. Mag.
states that B. rostrata constructs its nests in the soft light sea-
sands in the Ionian Islands, and appears to catch its prey (consist-
ing of such flies as frequent the sand ; amongst others, a bottle-
green fly,) whilst on the wing. He describes the mode in which
the female, with astonishing swiftness, scratches its hole witl^ its
fore legs like a dog. Bembex siarsata, according to Latreille, pro-
visions its nests with Bombylii.^' Westwood.

SphegidcB, The mud- wasps are known by their long antennae,
long hind legs and pedicelled abdomen. They are of large size, and

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SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 15

are colored black and red, brown and red, or wholly blue or black.
They are very active, restless in their movements, and have a pow-
erful sting. Ammophila is long, slender, with a long, pedicelled
abdomen, the tip of which is jed, and flies and runs on sunny paths
and about pumps. " The species inhabit sandy -districts, in which
A, sabulosa forms its burrow, using its jaws in burrowing ; and
when they are loaded, it ascends backwards to the mouth, turns
quickly round, flies to about a foot's distance, gives a sudden turn,
throwing the sand in a complete shower to about six inche's dis-
tance, and again alights at the mouth of its burrow.*

"Latreille states that this species provisions its cells with cater-
pillars, but Mr. Shuckard states that he has observed the female
dragging a very large inflated spider up the nearly perpendicular
side of a sand-bank, at least twenty feet high, and that whilst bur-
rowing it makes a loud whirring buzz ; and in the Trans. Ent. Soc.
he states that be had detected both A. sabulosa and hirsuta drag-
ging along large spiders. Mr. Curtis observed it bury the cater-
pillars of a Noctua and Geometra. St. Fargeau, however, states
that A. sabulosa collects caterpillars of large size, especially those
of Noctuae, with a surprising perseverance, whereas A. arenaria,
forming a distinct section in the genus, collects spiders. '' Westwood.
Pelopaeus, which is the true mud-wasp, builds in length a row of
parallel adjoining cdlls an inch or more long, and enveloped in an
outer case of mud or clay, in the corners of rooms, on rafters, &c.,
enclosing in each cell some insect. Pelopaeus coeruleus is our com-
mon shiny blue " sand-dauber." Pompilus has a short pedicel to
its abdomen, and very long hind legs. They run very swiftly in
grass and over sandy places, looking like winged black spiders, on
which they prey.

Scoliidae. This group has long, rather narrow hirsute bodies,
with short, spiny fossorial legs, sessile abdomen, with two promi-
nent terminal spines in the males, and often lunate eyes. They
are black, often with bright yellow spots along the sides hf the
hind body. The genus Scolia is very large, often two inches long,
marked with yellow. It is found in the hottest places about strongly
scented flowers. It makes deep burrows in sand-banks, provision-
ing its cells with grasshoppers, &c. Other species are sluggish,
crowding on stems of grass. Sapyga, known by its unusually nar-
row body and long, club-shaped antennae, is said to be parasitic on
bees of the genus Osmia, in whose nests it lays its eggs.

MutiJMdae, This interesting family is characterized by the females

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16 ENTOMOLOGICAL BEPORT.

being wingless, by the want of the three ocelli on the top of the head
that other hymenoptera possess, while the form of the body resem-
bles the ScoliidaB, though more hirsute. They are deep red and
black, and are solitary in their habits. They belong more to the
Southern and Middle States, — one species only being found in Mas-
sachusetts. The females run in hot places, and hide themselves
quickly when disturbed, while the males frequent flowers. They
take flies by surprising them. The sting of MutiUa coccinea in this
country is said to be very powerful. This family, in its wingless
females and structural features generally, leads to the ants, where
we have three kinds of individuals, as has been noticed in the bees,
but differing in the workers being wingless.

FormiddcB, Ants have a triangular head, round eyes, long
elbowed antenna and slender legs. Some species have a sting
like the other fossorial families. The males are much smaller than
the females,*and the wingless workers are a little smaller than the
males. The mandibles in those species that do not themselves
labor, but enslave the workers of other species, are slender and
smooth, though they are generally stout and toothed. As in the
bees, there have been found in some species two sets of workers,
(a few being of larger size than usual, with very large heads,) which
are said to make honey in cells, like worker-bees.

The habits of our ants in America have not been recorded. The
little yellow ant that digs its holes in paths ; the pismires that
excavate their galleries in stumps ; the ferocious red and brown
species that raises its hills of sand in woods, or of clay in clayey
places, and the large Pennsylvania ant nearly an inch long, whose
colonies we find under boards, &c., are but little known. In col-
lecting them they should be caught when swarming, that is when
the winged sexes come out of their holes and fill the air ioicountless
hosts. The Uttle yellow ants swarm thus in the second week of
September on a hot day that we generally have at that time.
Hundfeds of them should be pinned, or better, throw^ into alcohol,
keeping the colonies separate. So also their eggs, with the larvae
and pupsB, should be taken in large numbers.

Unlike the bees, ants are represented in winter by the workers
alone, the winged sexes only appearing in the summer. After
swarming, the females lay their minute eggs, and Gould, an English
observer, says that those destined to hatch the future females,
males, and workers, are deposited at three diflFerent periods. The
larv 8B are like those of hymenoptera in general, being fooUess grubs,

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short, thick and white. How the larvae are fed and. the pupae are
cared for by the neuters, and the habits of ants generally, are found
in all the books. Sometimes the pupae are naked, but generally
tiiey are enclosed in thin cocoons.

Ghrysidce. These insects are very different from the ants in their
oblong compact form, their nearly sessile oblong abdomen, having
only three to five rings visible, the remaining ones being drawn
within, forming a long, large jointed sting-like ovipositor which
can be thrust out like a telescope. The abdomen beneath is con-
cave, and the insect can roll itself into a ball on being disturbed.
They are green or black. The sting has no poison-bag, and in this
respect, besides more fundamental characters, the Chrysis ap-
proaches the Ichneumon family. They best merit the name of
"Cuckoo-flies,'' agf they fly and run briskly in hot sun-shine, on
posts and trees, &c., darting their ovipositbr into holes in search of
other hymenoptera, &c. in ^^^hich to lay their eggs, ^heir larvae
are the first to hatch and devour the food stored up by other fosso-
rial bees and wasps. " St. Fargeau, however, who has more
carefully, examined the economy of these insects, states that the
eggs of the Chrysis does not hatch until the legitimate inhabitant .
has attained . the greater part of its growth as a larva, when the
larva of the Chrysis fastens on its back, sucks it, and in a very
short time attains its full size, destroying its victim. It does not
form a cocoon, but remains a long time in the pupa state."

"In theEnt. Mag. has been noticed the discovery of Hedychrum
Hdentulum, which appears to be parasitic upon Psen caliginosus ;
the latter insect had formed its cells in the straws of a thatched
arbor, as many as ten or twelve cells being placed in some of the
straws. Some of the straws, perhaps about one in ten, contained
one or rarely two, of the Hedychrum, placed indiscriminately
amongst the others. Walkenaer, in his Memoirs upon ffalictus,
informs us that Hedychrum lucidulum waits at the mouth of the
burrows of these bees, in order to deposit its eggs therein ; and that
when its design is perceived by the bees, they congregate together
and drive it away. " St. Fargeau states that the females of Hed-
ychrum sometimes deposit their eggs in galls, while H. regium
oviposits in the nest of Megachile muraria ; and he mentions an
instance in which the bee, returning to its nearly finished cell, laden
with pollen paste, found the Hedychrum in its nest, which it
attacked with its jaws ; the parasite immediately, howeyei:, rolled
itself into a ball, so* that the Megachile was vnable to hurt it ; it

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18 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

however bit off its four wings which were exposed, rolled it to the
ground and then deposited its load in the cell and flew away,
whereupon the Hedychrum, now being wingless, had the perse-
vering instinct to crawl up the wall to the nest, and there quietly
deposit its egg which it placed between the pollen paste and the
wall of the celLwhich prevented the Megachile from seeing it/' —
Westivood.

ProctotrupidcB, Egg-parasites, In this family are placed very
minute species of parasitic Ichneumon-like hymenopters which
have rather long and slender bodies, with antennsB of various
lengths, often haired on the joints, while ihe wings are covered
with minute hairs and most of the nervures are absent. Here the
ovipositor has its true function, and its puncture conveys no pain ;
this may be said of the remaining families of. the hymenoptera.
These minute insects which can scarcely be distinguished by the
naked eye unless specially trained, are black or brown, and very
active in their habits. They may be swept off grass and herbage,
from aquatic plants, or from hot sand banks. They prey on the
wheat-flies by inserting their eggs in their larvae, in gall-midges,
and gall-cynips, and in fungus-eating flies, in which places they
should be sought. In Europe species of Teleas lay their eggs in
those of other insects, especially butterflies and moths and hemip-
ters where they feed on the juices of the growing larvae and pupae
within the egg, coming out as perfect Ichneumons,

" Mymar ovulorum oviposits in the eggs of other insects from
which the tiny parasite emerges only in the perfect state, a single
butterfly's egg often nourishing the transformation of many indi-
viduals.'' A species of Platygaster, a short broad genus, lays its
eggs in those of the Canker-worm moth just after their deposition.
It is one twenty-fifth 6f an inch long. Another species infests the
eggs of the Hessian fly. Ceraphron destructor, which is a larva-
parasite of the Hessian fly, is a tenth of an inch long. .

We jiust have many species of these insects in this country.
They occur in great numbers where they are found at all. They are
almost too small to pin, and if transfixed w^ould be unfit for study,
and should therefore be put into homeopathic vials of alcohol.

Chalddidce, This is also a group of great extent, and like the
preceeding, the species are of small size ; but they are of shiny
colors, as the name implies, being often bronzen, or metallic. They
have also elbowed antennae, and the wings are often deficient in
nervures. In some genera, including CkaUns the hind thighs are

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19

thickened for leaping. The differences between the sexes, gener-
ally very marked in hymenoptera, are here especially so. The male
of Eurytoma has the joints of the antennas swelled and furnished
with long hairs above. Some of the species, such as those of
Pteramalus, are wingless, and closely resemble ants.

They infest eggs and larvae. Some species prey upon the
Aphides, others lay their egg^ in the nests of wasps and bees.
One species is known in Europe to consume the intestines of the
common House Fly. Others consume the larvae of the Hessian
fly, and those GeddomyicB that produce galls, and also the true gall
flies ( Cynips.) Some are parasites on other Ichneumon parasites,
as there are species preying on the genus Aphidius, which is a
parasite on the Aphis. So also in Illinois a species of Hockeria
and of Glyphe afe parasitic on a Microgasier, which preys upon the
Army worm ; and Chalcis albifrons, Walsh, was bred from the
cocoons of Fezomachus, an Ichneumon parasite of the same cater-
pillar.

The genus Leucospis is of Ifrge size and known by having the
ovipositor laid upon the upper surface of the abdomen, and by its
resemblance to wasps. Eurytoma hord&i (fig. 6,) is found in gall-
like swellings of wheat stalks. The pupae of ^^^' ^•
this family have often the limbs and wings
soldered together as in lepidopierS,, and the
larvae seldom spin a silken compact cocoon as
in the succeeding family. We have probab y
in this country a thousand species of these
small parasites, nearly twelve hundred having
been named and described in England alone. They are generally
large enough to be pinned or stuck upon cards ; some individuals
should be preserved in this way, others, as wet specimens.

IchneumonidcB. The Ichneumon-fly (Fig. 7,) reprieseuts the most
extensive family of the suborder as re-
gards numbers. They are long and nar-
row bodied, with long and straight an-
tennae ; the ovipositor is generally long
and protected by two sheath-pieces of
the same length. In (hose genera that
have the. ovipositor short, the eggs are
placed in exposed larvae, while those
provided with longer ones, such as in the
figure, are adapted for penetrating into

Fig. 7.

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20 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

holes under bark, or in crevices, &c., and for this purpose they
are often two or three times the length of the body. There are
scarcely any insects which do not suffer from the attacks of these
parasites. They are the best friends of agriculturists. The eggs
are either laid on the surface of the larvee, when they eat their
way inwards ; or the egg being placed within the body of the
victim, it hatches out and feeds on the fatty issues of the larvcB,
gradually consuming its life until the parasite turns to pupa, when
it dies. There may be one large Ichneumon thus feeding within,
or numbers of them. Thus the caterpillar of Acrony eta, found on
the alder in October, is often seen adhering to the leaf, preserving
the semblance of life, while the* inside of the body is packed with
little cocoons placed vertically next to one another.

Of course Ichneumons abound most in summer when larvae are
most plenty, when they are found in great numbers on umbellifer-
ous flowers. But many species appear in April. The species of
Ophion, with compressed arched yellow bodies, come to light in
summer. In Europe nearly 2000 species of this family have been
described. Evania, with its very short abdomen, Pelecinus, with
a very long one, which is Abundant in summer, represent a small
family, the Evaniidoe, which lead to the

Gynipidoe, or Gall-flies. The species are of small size, with
short broad heads, a globular thorax, and short compressed abdo-
men. With their long slender ovipositor they insert their eggs into
leaves, &c. which causes by the irritation a hollow swelling on the
leaves, buds or stalks of plants. Those large swellings on oaks
imported from the East, known as galls, have given the name to these
productions. Galls are of various forms and sizes, and differ with
the species of gall-fly that produces them. They fig. 8.

may contain one or several grubs, which are
small, fleshy and footless, with tubercles in the
lower surface instead of feet, to move by. The
eggs increase in size as the gall itself enlarges.
A wingless species in England makes its galls at
the foot of the oak, beach, &c. Cynip dichlocerus,
(Pig. 8,) forms long galls in the stem of rose bushes.

Uroceridoe, Boring-sawflies. These rather rare insects pass their
lives as borers in the trunks of trees. Unlike the previous families
of hymenopters, their larvae are long, cylindrical, and furnished
with three pairs of true legs. The saw-flies are likewise cylindri-
cal and long, and the sides of the body cotitinuous, not being

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SCIENTIFIO SURVBT. 21

insected as usual, while the abdomen is blunt, and a large saw-like
ovipositor projects from beneath. They are among the largest of
hymenoptera. Tremex columba bores into beech trees. Urocerut
albieomis and another species is found on pines. Oryasua is a much
smaller genus with a slender ovipositor. There are but few species,
and they are found in August flying about with a loud buzz.

Tenthredinidce, Saw-flies. We now come to a family whose af-
finities are closest to the Lepidoptera. In their bodies the three
divisions are less marked than usual, they only fly in the warmest
days, their larvae have 18-22 legs, and closely resemble caterpillars,
and like them feed exposed on leaves. The flies are sluggish ; their
beads are transversely oblong, and the antennae are simple, club-
shaped or feathered. Their wings are folded at rest upon the
body, overlapping each other somewhat. Their ovipositors are
toothed like little saws, with which they bore into the stems and
leaves of plants to deposit their eggs. The larvae spin compact
cylindrical oval cocoons. They are found in companies on the
leaves of the alder and birch, holding on by their true legs while
the rest of the body is suspended and curved curiously upwards ;
or they occur as slimy slugs on the leaves of the pear and rose,
while others feed on the stems of plants, or construct cases of bits of
leaves to hide in, like Tineids, or roll up fiq. 9.

a leaf like the Phyganidae. The large
solitary larva of Gimbex Americana is
found partially rolled up, on the elm and
birch. Lophyrus dbieHs (Fig. 9, female, )
feeds on the fir. Selandria vitis and
roscB feed upon the vine and rose, and
can be taken when those plants have leaved out. Many can be
to^n early in summer about alders and willows.

Lepidopteba.
BtUterflies are easily distinguished from the other groups by their
knobbed antennae ; in the /^hinges and their allies the feelers are
thickened in the middle ; in the Moths they are filiform and often
pectinated like feathers. Lepidoptera have also been divided into
three large groups, called Diurnal, Crepuscular and Nocturnal,
since butterflies fly in the sunshine alone, most Sphinges in the
twilight, (many of them fly in the hottest sunshine,) and the moths
are generally night-fliers, though many of them fly in the day time,
thus showing that the distinctions are somewhat artificial.
3

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22 ENTOHOLOGiCAL BEPOBT.

In studying these insects the best generic characters will be
found in the antennae, the shape of the head parts, Uie neuration
and proportions of the wings. Very slight changes in these parts
separate genera. Size and coloration, which are very constant,
afford good specific characters.

The caterpillars, chrysalids and perfect insects, besides being
preserved dry, should be collected largely in alcohol. In collecting
them to pin dry we must remember that the least touch will remove
some of the scales from the wings and bodies, thus injuring them
for study and spoiling their looks. The collector should have the
ring net, the beating net, plenty of pill boxes, a large box lined with
cork to pin his captures into, which should have pinned in the bot-
tom a sponge saturated with benzine, (which is the cheapest poison,)
and though after frequent airing the box loses the strong odor, yet
there is enough left to keep the specimens from fluttering, until
more can be applied at home. This box should be small enough to
slip into the coat pocket, and with the cover made to open easily
with one hand. A bottle of alcohol is needed about the person for
the reception of duplicates, larvae, &c. Fins of various sizes should
be carried in a cushion suspended from the neck or from a button-
hole. The best insect pm is that of German make. The different
sizes can be had of F. W. Christern, T63 Broadway, and Theodor
Schreckel, 14 North William street, New York. Two sizes, No. 2
and 5, which come done up in square packages of five hundred pins
each, will do for the majority of insects, the larger for butterflies
and Sphinges, Noctuae and Geometrae, while for the micro-lepidop-
tera smaller pins are needed, which will be mentioned further on
when speaking of them more specially. The net most convenient
is a sugar-loaf-shaped bag of silken gauze (which can be bought
as cheaply as muslin or musquito-netting, and does much bett^,)
fastened to a margin of cloth sewed previously onto the ring. The
net should be made a foot and a half deep, attached to a frame of stout
'brass wire twelve inches across, which should be soldered on to a
tube half an inch or so in diameter, into which a slender stick six feet
long can be thrust. A light net like this can be rapidly turned
upon the insect with one hand. The beating net is stouter and
made of thick muslin, and fastened on to a short stick. It is used
for beating bushes and herbage for moths and their larvae. It can be
also used for collecting all other insects. In this connection should
be mentioned the water net, (Fig. 10,) which may be round, or of

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SGIENTIFIO SURVEY. 2$

the figure indicated. The ring should be of fig. lo.

brass, and the shallow net be made of grass-
^ cloth or coarse millinet. Small aquatic spe-
cies can be fished up in mud which will strain
through the net, leaving them to be picked
up and pinned. When the insect is taken in the bag-net bj a
dexterous twist of the handle, which throws the bottom over the
mouth, it should be confined with the other hand with great care,
and then pinned through the thorax, when in the net. The pin
can be drawn through the meshes upon opening the net. The pin
should be thrust through the thorax so that three-fourths of it
should be below the insect ; care should be taken to preserve some
uniformity of height from the cork in the different specimens.
After being pinned the specimen should be handled with a pair of
curved pincers, whose jaws should be roughened to retain the pin,
and kept apart by their opposite ends being united, as in the sur-
geon's dissecting forceps ; or the handles may be large, and a spec-
ial spring introduced between to keep the branches apart. These
pincers are indispensable in handling specimens, especially those
on slender pins.

Some specimens should be preserved as they look when at rest.
To set specimens a number of setting-boards will be necessary. These
should be made of soft wood, with grooves or cracks of different
sizes, in the bottom of which strips of cork, or corn-stalk, or paste-
board should be fastened, into which the insect's body can be re-
ceived, while the pins stick through beneath. The surface of the
board should incline a little towards the groove, as the wings often
fall down a little after the specimen is dry. The wings can be
arranged with a needle stuck into a handle of wood, the wings set
horizontally, and the front margin of the primaries drawn a little
forward of a line perpendicular to the body, so as to free the inner
margin of the secondaries from the abdomen, that their form may
be clearly seen, as in the. figure (11.) When thus arraiged they
can be confined by pieces of card, as indi- Fio. ii.

cated, or by square pieces of glass laid
upon them. Several days are requisite for
them to dry thoroughly. Several of these
setting-boards can be made to slide into a
frame covered with gauze-wire, to keep
them from devouring insects, while the air
may at the same time have constant access to them.

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24 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

Rearing CaterpiUara. The larvae of butterflies are rare ; those
of moths occur more frequently, while their imagines may be scarce.
In some years many larvsa, usually rare, at other times occur in*
abundance, when they should be reared in numbers. In hunting for
caterpillars bushes should be shaken and beaten over newspapers or
sheets, herbage should be swept carefully, and trees examined care-
fully for leaf-rollers and miners. The best specimens of moths and
butterflies are obtained by rearing them from the egg if possible, or
ifrom the larvsB or pupas. In conflnement the food ohould be kept
fresh, and the box well ventilated. Tumblers covered with gauze,
pasteboard boxes, pierced with holes and fitted with glass in the
covers, or large glass jars, are very convenient to use as cages.
The bottom of such vessels may be covered with moist sand, in.
which the food plant of the larva may be stuck and kept fresh for
several days. Larger and more airy boxes, a foot square, with the
sides of gauze, and fitted with a door, through which a bottle of water
may be introduced, serve well. The object is to keep the food plant
fresh, the air cool, the larva out of the sun, and in fact everything
in such a state of equilibrium that the larva would not feel the change
of circumstances when kept in confinement.' Most caterpillars
change to pupse in the fall; then they should be covered with
earth, kept damp by wet moss, and placed in the cellar until the
following summer. The collector in seeking for larvsB should carry
a good number of pill-boxes, and especially a close tin box, in which
the leaves may be kept fresh for a long time. The different forms
and markings of caterpillars should be noted especially, and they
should be drawn cvefully, on a leaf of the food plant, and the
drawings and pupa skins, and perfect insect, be numbered in the
same way. Descriptions of caterpillars cannot be too carefully
made or too long. The relative size of the head, its ornamentation,
the stripes and spots of the body, and the position and number of
tubercles, and the hairs, or fascicles of hairs, or spines and spin-
ules, whlbh arise from them, should be noted, besides the general
form of the body. The lines along the body are called dorsal, if in
the middle of the back, subdorsal if upon one side, lateral and
ventral when on the sides and under surface, or stigmatal if includ-
ing the stigmata or breathing pores, which are generally parti-color-
ed. Indeed, the whole biography of an insect should be ascertained
by every observer ; the points to be noted are : —

I. Date, when and how the egg is laid; and number, size and
marking of the eggs.

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SOlENTiFlC SURVET. £5

2. Date of hatching, the appearance, food-plant of larva, and
number of days between each moulting ; the changes the larva
uodergoes, which ara often remarkable, especially before the last
moulting,, with drawings illustrative of these ; the habits of the
larva, whether solitary or gregarious, whether a day or night
£^der : the Ichneumon parasites, and their mode of attack. Spe-
cimens of larvae in the different moultings should be preserved in
alcohol. The appearance of the larvsB when full-fed, the date,
number of days before pupating, the formation and description of
the cocoon, the duration of larvsB in cocoon before pupation, their
appearance just before changing, their appearance while changing,
and alcoholic specimens of larvae in the act, and drawings illiitra-
tive — all these should be studied and noted.

8. Date of pupation ; description of the pupa oi chrysalis ; du-
ration of the pupa state, habits, &c.; together with alcoholic speci-
mens, or pinned dry ones. Pupae should be looked for late in the
summer or in the Ml and spring, about the. roots of trees, and kept
moist in mould until the imago appears.

4. Date of the insect's escaping from the pupa, and method of
escape ; duration of life of the imago ; ^nd the number of broods in
a season. Labels for alcohol may be written in pencil on paper, or
in ink on parchment.

PapiUonidcB. The Swallow tails are at once known as being our
largest butterfles, and by their having the hind wings produced into
a tail-like appendage. The yellow Papilio Turnus flies in June
and July, through woods and about lilacs. Its larva feeds on the
apple, and wild thorn. It is green, with two eye-like spots on the
thorax. P. asterias, the Parsnip Papilio, flies in August about wild
pMrsnip, which grows by river sides ; and is found upon the culti-
vated species. It is dark blue. The larva is yellow, striped and
spotted with black. When sailing free on their wings it is almost
impossible to capture them. The larvae when irritated, push out a
V-shaped yellow organ from the head.

Fieridce. (White or Sulphur Butterflies.) Pieris oleracea, is
white with rounded secondaries or hind wings. It feeds on cab-
bages and turnips. Its larvae are hirsute, green, tapering towards
each end of the body, and feed on grass. Those of Colias Philodice
are green and smooth. This is our common " Sulphur Yellow,"
abounding in roads.

Nymphalidce. Argynnis is known by the under side of the wings «

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26 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

being covered with silvery spots, while the larv» are spined, as are
those of Vanessa and Grapta, whose species are the earliest to ap-
pear in spring. V. antiope is the large purple-species that flies from
March to October ; its gregarious larvae feed on the willow and
elm. Chrapta progne with notched red and brown wings, is com-
mon in May and September, in woods and about houses ; its
solitary larvae feed on the currant. G. comma inhabits the north-
ern part of the State. All the species have silvery comma -or
semicolon-like markings on the under surface of the secondaries.

&atyrus has the wings broad and rounded, with eye-like spots
near the outer margins, and it is of a soft brown color. It is seen
as it flies, rising and falling gracefully over fields and through
woods. 8, eurythris inhabits pine woods. It flies towards the'
last of June, and is the first species of the genus to appear. The
others are August species. S, alope flies in fields about clumps of
golden rod, S, canfhus by rivers and in low places. Neonympha
semidea is found only on the summit of Mt. Washington. It must
be looked for upon Mt. Katahdin. The larvae are smooth green,
often, striped, with forked tails, and feed on grass. They are rarely
found and should be especially sought for. By their larval forms
and skipping flight these wood Satyrs lead to the small sized —

Lycaenidce. Lycaena Americana is our common little copper but-
terfly. Its larva is green, oval, flattened, and feeds on sorrel. The
pupa is short and thick, and is fastened by a loop to the under
surface of stones.

The Azure butterflies Polyommatas pseudargiolus, and P. comyn-
tas and P. Zucia, are pretty species which occur frequently in May,
and sometimes in April, on sunny days. Gomyntas is an August
species and has not been found in Maine yet. Thecla contains
coppery brown species with a slight tail to the secondaries, which
fly early in forests. T. mopsus and niphon are our two common
ones ; they may be easily captured when alighted in paths. Our
largest one is T, falacer, which has an orange colored spot on the
inner angle of the secondaries, and two unequal tails. It is rare
and found in August.

We come now to butterflies with stout bodies, and large heads,
whose antennae have the knob as if untwisted and bent to one side,
approaching the form of the antennae of the Sphinges. Moreover
their flight is swift and strong, while they generally skip with a
jerking flight. Their colors are a soft rich brown, with yellow
square spots. Such are the —

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SOENTIFIC SURVEY. 27

HeaperiadoB or Skippers. The green caterpillars have large
heads, and taper rapidly towards either end. They are solitary,
feeding within rolled up leaves, as the Tortrioes, or exposed on the
surface. " Their chrysalis are generally conical, or tapering at
one end, and rounded, or more rarely pointed, at the other, never
angular or ornamented with golden spots, but most often covered
with a bluish white powder or bloom. They are mostly fastened
by the tail and a few transverse threads, within some folded
leaves, which are connected together by a loose internal web of
threads, forming a kind of imperfect cocoon." Harris,

EudamuB bathyUus, is a very common species. It is of a darker
brown than usual, with a few small white spots. It is common
in June and July in patiis, and easy to capture.

SpJdngidae. (Hawk moths. Humming-bird moths.) These are
tiie largest bodied of the lepidoptera. They have narrow thick
wings which enable them to fly with great rapidity, as they frequent
flowers at dark or before sunrise in the morning, inserting their
long maxillae into the flowers like humming-birds, which they are
often mistaken for. They are found about Lilacs, pinks and honey
suckles in June and July. 868ia diffinis and Thysbe are smaller clear
winged moths with flattened bodies and have spreading tufts like
^e tails of humming-birds on the tip of their hind body ; they fly
in the hottest sunshine, about the flowers of the orchard, of the
Bhodora, j^almia. Lilac and Fink, &c. Our smallest and rarest
species is the Ellema Harrim, which lives on pine trees, and is taken
in their vicinity at flowers. The large Macrosila Carolina is not
fouQd in Maine. Our largest species is 8. cinerea ; next to that the
S. drupiferarum which feeds on the plum ; S. gordius is our most
common species in Maine, and feeds on the apple. The larvae are
large green caterpillars Fio. 12.

with a terminal horn, and
have the queer habit of,
elevating the head and
front part of the body,
(as in Figure 12,) in a
Sphinx-like attitude.

Ceratomia ^fuadricomis has a larva with four short fleshy horns
on its thorax. It feeds on the elm. By thrusting a pin dipped
into oxalic acid into the body of the moths they can be quickly
killed, as also by the fumes of benzine. The larva are found crawl-

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28 ENTOHOLOOIGAL BEPOET.

ing about in September. They descend into the ground soii make
a rough earthern cocoon before pupating. The chryealis has the
tongue case detached.

Smerinffms has notched wings, arid the secondaries are ocellated.
The larvae have triangular heads. S, geminatua feeds on the i^ple.
Deilephila feeds on the Willow herb.

^geriadae. These are small species whose lanrae are bor^s.
The moths have delicate transparent wings and slender bodies,
elegant and gaily colored. JEgeria ctumrbUae feeds upon the
squash. jE.exiMosa ^bores in peach trees. These two species
have the sexes very distinct. The species bear a close resem-
blance to some hymenoptera. Ih^ochilium tipuliforme is a slender
blue species. It bores in the stems of the current, and by
splitting the stems open in ' the fall and spring, we shall find the
larvae. Towards the last of May t^ey turn to pupae. In the
middle of July they £^pear, often abundantly, flying with great
rapidity about the leaves, like certain hymenopters. They are
easily caught with the net. The species are rarely met with.

Zygaenidae, The members of this family which contains but a
few New England species, fly in the 'middle of warm sunny days.
They are generally blue, with pectinated or nearly simple anten-
nae, slender bodies, and rather narrow wings, and t^ey are
covered with fine powdery scales. Procria americana is a slender
bodied species, of a deep blue color, and saflfron-yellow^collar, and
spreading anal tuft, which feeds on the vine or common woodbine
(Ampelopsis.) Its larva is short and thick, yellow, with tufts
of short black hairs across the rings. Those caterpillars of
genera which approach more to the Lithodans have the body more
elongated, and thickly covered with whorls of thick set hairs.
Ctenucha latreiUana has a yellow larva of this description, which
is found early in summer feeding on grass. In June it makes a
thin cocoon of hairs, and in the last of July appears in fiekUi,
flying in 'ihe hot sun. It is our largest species, of a dark blue
color, and with well pectinated antennae. Glaucopia Fholu9 is a
smaller species, with serrated antennae, and the base of the wing9
are yellow. It feeds as a larva on lichens, and flies about stone
Hindis. ,

Bambyces. Spinners. This handsome family comprises species
of i^e largest and most regal moths. Their thick heavy bodies
and small sunken heads, and often obsolete mouth parts, pectina-
ted antennae, broad wings, and sluggish habits, notwithstanding

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BCIEiniFIO 8UBVET. 2$

the Bitimeroas exceptions, afford good characters for distinguishing
them. Likewise the thick hairy larvae, which i^in silken thick
cocoons, and change to short thick pnpae, separate this family.
There are several well marked minor groups, of which the Litho-
sians, with their slender bodies and wings, simple antennae, and
slender verticillated larvae, head the group. They are also day
fliers. Most of the group have narrow wings, such as Deiopei<$
beUa which has bands of white enclosing dark spots on the fore
wings, and scarlet hind wings, edged without irregularly witti
black. The species of Crocota of uniform pale red, look like Geo-
metrids, and Nudaria has broad, nearly transparent wings, with
square- thinner spots.

The Arctians have thick bodies, and simple or feathered anten-
nae. Their larvae have whorls of long spinulose hairs, as in the
"yellow bears,'', the young of A, Isabella, ihe buff brown species,
which is yellow and black, and curls up and lies on its side when
disturbed. The common yellow caterpillar is the young of Spilo-
soma virginica^ a white species found in gardens, in August.
S. acraea has a partly buff body, its larva is the Salt Maxsh Cater-
pillar. JSdlesidota has a short thick larva, with raised middle tufts.
The moths are yellowish with cross bands of spots, often partially
transparent. They lead to the Ddsychirae, or tussock caterpillars,
which have lorfg pencils of hairs projecting before and behind the
body. The pretty larva of Orgyia is variously tufted and colored,
and feeds on garden vegetables. The moths fly in the sunshine in
September, and resemble Geometrids. The thick and wooly bodied,
pale yellow crinkled-haired genus Lagoa, leads to the Cochlidice, a
most interesting and anomalous group, when we consider the slug-
like, footless larvae, which are either hemispherical, boat-shaped,
or oblong with large fleshy spines. The moths are small, thidk
bodied, and with antennae pectinated two thirds of their length,
or they are slender bodied with simple feelers, and resemble closely
some of the Tortrices. They are very difficult to raise, as they
generally die in confinement.

The NotodonUans have larvae singularly humped, with naked or
slightly hairy bodies, having the last pair of prop-legs often pro-
longed and not often used in locomotion, being when at rest elevated
over the back. The moths resemble very closely Noctuae. They
may be distinguished by their small, sunken heads, feathered an-
tennsB, and oft^ by the tufted inner margin of the primaries.

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80 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

The FlatypterycidcB have broad falcated wings, closely resembling
the Geometrids, and the larvsB have the last pair of prop-legs united
and greatly prolonged. The Bomycidae include the BomJbyx mori
or the silk-worm. The Atticidae are the central group of the fam-
ily. The very large, eyed wings and broad doubly pectinated
antennsB of tiiis kingly assemblage of moths, and the large, tMck,
fleshy larv8B with angulated wings, surmounted by scattered
tubercles, giving rise to a few short hairs, are represented by
Samia cecropia and promeihea, which have the discal spots trian-
gular ; Tropaea Luna is the immense, tailed, green species, while
Telea Polyphemus is brown and has large transparent eye-like discal
spots. Ther Geratocampadae, include Ciiheronia regalis and Eacles
imperialis, which are of gigantic size, and the smaller ScUumia
Maia and Hyperchiria lo, which have triangular subfalcate prima-
ries. The larv8B are cylindrical and armed with hair bearing tuber-
cles ; or, as in Dryocampa, they have smooth bodies, with a pair of
slender horns just behind the head.

The two species of Glisiocampa, of which Americana and its
larva are here figured, (13 and 14,) represent another small group.
The leaf caterpillars are most injurious to Fio. i3.

orchards. The moths fly at light in July.

The HepiaUdae have long, narrow wings,
with both pairs much alike. Their larvss
live in the roots and stems of plants. The
moths come to light in July and August,
and are rare. XyletUes rohinios is ^^ ^^

stout bodied, and bores in the locust
tree.

Noctuidae. (Owlet moths.) There
is great uniformity in the genera of
this family, which are characterized by their thick bodies, stout and
well developed palpi, simple and sometimes slightly pectinated
antennae. The wings are small and narrow ; they fly swiftly at
night, and are attracted by light. The primaries have almost in-
variably a dot and reniform spot on the middle of the wing, and
they are generally dark and dull colored. The larvae taper tow-
ards each end, and are striped and barred in different ways. They
make thin, earthen cocoons. The Acronyctae are light gray spe-
cies, with haired larvae, and approach the Bombyces closely. The
Leticaniae are whitish yellow, witt naked larvae, si^h as the Army-

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SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 81

worm. The Agrotes or 'Dart moths have broad tips to the palpi,
their antennae pectinated, and the spaces between the dot and
reniform spots dark and conspicuous. The larvae are the noxious
cuts worms. They lead to the Mamestrae, which usually have a
W in the middle of the outer line of the primaries ; they have rather
broad wings, and are of large size. The larvae are long, cylindri-
cal and naked. Goriyna, the spindle-worm and its allies, have
somewhat falcated wings. The Acontians are small, slender bodied,
often white species, which fly in the dky time about flowers. Xylina
and OucuUia are large dart moths, with tufted fronts. Flusia is
marked with silver spots.

The previous groups of genera have stout, blunt palpi, and narrow
wings ; but the Gatocdlae have broad wings, filiform antennae, and
long, slender palpi, which reach often beyond the top of the head.
Moreover, the larvae are elongated, and have fourteen legs, and a
semi-looping gait, approaching closely to Geometrids. Gaiocala
is very large, with gray fore wings, and beautifully scarlet, Vermil-
lion, or black striped secondaries* Erebus odora is a gigantic
species, dark as night and faintly banded. Homoptera lunata and
allies are similar but much smaller broad winged Noctuae.

Noctuae can be taken at dusk flying about flowers, and they enter
open windows in the evening and night in large numbers, attracted
by the light within. When lighted on the table under the lamp a
slight tap with a ruler will kill them without injuring the speci-
mens. In warm, foggy evenings they come in in great numbers.
July and August are thie best months for this family, but many
species occur only in autumn, while others hybernate and are taken
early in the spring. . " Moths are extremely susceptible of any
keenness in the air ; a north or east wind is very likely to keep
them from venturing abroad. Different species Have different hours
of flight. Thus, on a mild and (Jark November evening PmcUo-
campa populi will occupy from seven to ten o'clock, after which it
will make way for Petasia cassinea, which will fly till one or two
o'clocK in the morning. I have, for experiment's sake, sat up in the
summer till three o'clock, when the whole heavens were bright with
the rising sun, and moths of various kinds have never ceased arriv-
ing in succession till that time. Some of these must come from a
considerable distance : Scotophila porphyrea, being a heath-moth,
must come nearly a mile." Bird,

** In April the willows come into bloom. In the day time they

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32 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

are very attractive to bees, Bombi, Andraence, Ac, and a few
beetles also. At and after dusk the flowers are the resort of sev-
eral species of moths, (Noctyina^) some of which have hybemated,
and others have just left their pupa state. It is now some fifteen
years since the collectors first took moths in this way, that were
likely long, to have remained deficient in the collections but for the
discovery, by Mr. H. Doubleday, of the attractive powers of the
sallow blossoms. I believe it was the same gentllman who found
out about the same time that a mixture of sugar and beer, [or rum
and sugar or molasses, &c.,] mixed to a consistence somewhat
thinner than treacle, is a most attractive bait to all the Noctvina,
The revolution wrought in our collections, and our knowledge of
species since its use, is wonderful.''

" The mixture is taken to the woods, put upon the trunks of
trees in patches or stripes, just at dusk. Before it is dark some
moths arrive, and a succession of comers continues all night through,
until the first dawn of day warns the revellers to depart. . The
collector goes, soon after dark, with a bull's-eye lantern, a ring
net, and a lot of large pill-boxes. He turns Mb light full on the.
wetted place, at the same time placing bis net underneath it, in
order to catch any moth that may fall.

** Jhe sugar bait may be used from March to October with suc-
cess, not only in woods, but in lanes, gardens, and whenever a
tree or post can be found to put it upon. The best nights will be
those that are warm, dark and wet ; cold, moonlight, or bright, clear
and dry nights are always found to be unproductive. It is also of
no avail to use sugar in the vicinity of attractive flowers, such as
those of willow, lime 0;r ivy. Sometimes one of the Geometrina or
Tineina comes, and occasionally a good beetle." The Virgins'
Bower, when in blossom, is a favorite resort of Noctuae. Many
can be taken by carrying a ^erosene lamp into the woods and
watching for whatever is attracted by its light.

Oeometridoe, (Geometers, Measuring-worms, Span-worms.) —
This is a large group of slender-bodied, broad winged moths, with
feathered antennae, which at rest have the wings nearly expand-
ing, hardly overlapping each other. The laarvae have but ten legs,
walking with a looping gaii^. • At rest they often hold themselves
out straight and stiffby the musdes of the anal prologs. Unnomos
and allies have stout, rather wooly bodies, smd angulated wings.
They are generally yellow, dusted with ochreons, and the larvae

%

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SCIENTIPIC SURVEY. 88

are large, tuberculated, and spin rather thick cocoons among leaves.

Boarmia has wings crossed by numerous bands of dark irregular

dots. The Macarios have falcated primaries, and are of smaller

size than the foregoing groups. The allies of Abraxas have wings

rounded at the apex. A species that is pale buff with smoky spots,

inhabits the currant, whose larva is golden yellow with white and

dark spots. Some genera have wingless females ; such as Hybernia

which appears in October, and whose wingless female is ornamented

with a double row of square J ,. ™

^ FiQ. 16. Fig. 16.

black spots along the back ;
and the canker-worm {Anisopte-
ryx vemaia Fig. 15, larva, Pig.
16, moth,) which is rarely found
now in Maine, but vill probably
be abundant before many years.

AcidaUa is a very delicate slender bodied genus, of large extent,
whose wings are bapded much as in the' BoarmisB. The genus
Geometra which is large and green, we do not have here ; but some
smaller species belonging to the genus Bacheospila, whose abdo-
mens are scarlet spotted above are frequent. The smallest species
are found in the JEhtpiihicic^, which have long triangular wings.
Nearly all the species can be takeufin June and in July, in damp
shady woods, or in open fields. Larentia and Cidaria come at
light with Noctuids in July and August.

Pyralidce, ( Delta moths. ) The species have the habit of placing
the wings in the form of a triangle, when at rest, since they do not
overlap each other. Their bodies are slender, the antennae nearly
always simple, while the palpi are greatly enlarged, so as some-
times to be thrown back over the head. Eypena and its allies are
of large size ; the fore legs iare frequently curiously tufted. They
are found in company with Geometrids. Hydrocampa, as a larva
feeds on aquatic plants, constructing a case like the Phryganeids,
which it carries about with it. Pyrausta is generally red, striped
with dark. Botys (Fig. 17,) is of a pale straw Fig. it.

color with transparent spots, and long slender
body and legs.

Aglossa is found about houses, and feeds on
fatty substances. Some of the larvae are half-
loopers, while those of the ^mailer species are
naked, or with a few scattered hairs, slender and cylindrical. The
smaller species are nearly all taken in damp places, in meadows,

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jna. 10.

84 ENTOMOLOGICAL B£POBT.

grass lanes, or by rivers and pools in summer. Some of the spe-
cies are <Rty fliers.

Tortriddas, (Leaf-rollers.) These are small, broad-winged moths,
which at rest fold their wings, roof-like, over their bodies, fiq. is.
in the form of a triangle,, (as in Fig. 18.) They are aband^
ant in June and July, in low bushes, herbage, or on leaves
of trees, where they can be swept by the net. The larvae
areVather thick greenish caterpillars, which roll up leaves ;
their work can thus be easily detected. When disturbed they wrig-
gle out of the other end of their domicile, and let themselves down
by a silken thread. Others feed on buds and flowers, such as Loxo-
tcenia; while another tortrix Carpocapsa pomonella, the " Codling
moth," lays its eggs in the plumage of the young apple, and in
the fall is found as a white fleshy grub in the core.

lineidce. These are the smallest of moths, and are known not
only by their minute size, but by their narrow wings, often falcate,
or pointed acutely in both pairs, and edged with a long fringe of
exceeding delicacy. The maxillary palpi are greatly developed,
while the labial palpi are of their usual size, and are sometimes
recurved as.in the Pyralidae.

Grambus and its allies have long palpi and oblong wings, gene-
rally white and buff yellow, sometimes ornamented with golden
spots. They fly in grass in great abundance, resting on the spears
with their heads down. To this group belongs the Bee moUt, ( Gfot
leria cereana) which as a larva eats wax. There are two broods in
a season.

Hyponomeuta has long maxillary palpi, and very long antennae,
closely resembling some of the smaller Phryganids. The Tineids,
generally, are moths of rare, beauty. The family is one of great
extent, and the species are very destructive to vegetation, and
have innumerable modes of attack. Thus, Tinea vestianella, the
clothes-moth, and allied species, construct a case of the fibers they
eat, and bear it about for their protection. In June the moth
appears and lays its eggs. Tinea granella make a silken web of
the grains they devour. Another species, fio.

still more destructive in granaries is the
Angoumois moth, (Anacampsis cerecUeUa,
Pig. 19,) which secretes itself within the
grain, devouring the mealy substance.

AlucttcB, This is a family comprising a
few species whose wings are divided into numerous delicately

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SUJUSMllFIG SURVEY. 85

friQged branches. They are found in July and August, in herbage.
Pterophonts margimdactylus is a common species, and flies in at
light in July and August.
. For collecting and preserving these minute and deHcate moths,
which are called by collectors, micrO'lq)idoptera, especial instruc-
tions are necessary. When the moth is taken in the net, it can be
blown by the breath into thebottom. " Then by elevating the hand
through the ring, or on a level with it, a common cupping glass of
about two inches in diameter, or a tuine glass carried in the pocket,
is placed on the top of the left hand over the constricted portion,
the grasp relaxed, and the insect permitted to escape through the
opening into its interior. The glass is then closed below by the
left hand on the outside of the net, and may be transferred to the
top of the collecting box, when it can be quieted by chloroform."
Clemens. Or the moth may be collected in pill boxes, and then
carried home and opened into a larger box filled with the fumei^ of
ether or benzine. In pinching kny moths on the thorax, the form
of that region is invariably distorted, and many of the scales
removed. In searching for " Micros*' we must look carefully on
the lee side of trees, fences, hedges, and undulations in the ground,
for they avoid the wind.

In seeking for the larvae we must remember that most of them
are leaf miners, and their burrows are detected by the waved brown
withered lines on the surface of leaves and their **frass*' or excre- ,
ment thrown out at one end. Some are found between united leaves,
of which the upper 'is curved. Others construct portable cases
which they draw about the trunks of trees, fences, &c. Others bur-
row in the stems of grass, or in fungi, toadstools, in the pith of
currant or raspberry bushes. Most are solitary, a few gregarious.
A bush stripped of leaves and covered with webs, if not done by
Clisiocampa, (the American Tent Caterpillar,) will witness the work
of a Tineid. Buds of unfolded herbs sufier from their attacks, such
as the heads of composite flowers which are drawn together and
consumed by their larvsB.

After some practice in rearing larvae it will be found easier and
more profitable to search for the leaf miners, and rear the perfect
fresh and uninjured moths from them. In this way many species
never found in the perfect state can be secured.

In raising micro larvae it is essential that the leaf in which they
they mine be preserved fresh for a long time. Thus a glass jar,

Digitized by VnOO^lC

36 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

tumbler or jam-pot, the top of which has been ground to receive
an air-tight glass cover, the bottom of which has been covered with
moist white sand, will keep a leaf fresh for a week, and thus a larva
in the summer will have to be fed but two or three times before.it
changes ; and the moth can be seen through the glass without
taking off the cover. Or a glass cylinder can be placed over a
plant placed in wet sand, having the top covered with gauze. The
pupae easily dry up ; they should be kept moist, in tubes of glass
closed at either end, through which the moth can be seen when
disclosed. Instead of benzine, powdered and crushed laurel or
kalmia leaves, which contain prussic acid, is often used instead of
ether, chloroform or benzine.

How to set micro-lepidopiera : " If the insect is very small I hold
it by its legs between the thumb and finger of the left hand, whilst
I pierce it with the pin held between the thumb and finger of the
right hand ; if the insect is not very small I use a rough surface,
as a piece of blotting-paper, or piece of cloth, for it to lie upon
and prevent its slipping about, and then cautiously insert the point
of the pin in the middle of the thorax, as nearly as possible in a
vertical direction. As soon as the pin is fairly througti the insect,
remove it to a piece of soft cork, and by pressing it in, push the
insect as far up the pin as is required.

" For setting the insects I find nothing answers as well as a
piece of soft cork, papered with smooth paper, and with grooves
cut to admit the bodies. The wings are placed in the required
position by the setting needle, s^nd are then iletained in their places
by a wedge-shaped thin paper brace, placed over them till a square
brace of smootli card-board is placed over the ends of the wings.''
Stainton, Pieces of plate glass are often used instead of card-
braces. Small slender insects pins No. 19 and 20, are made by
Edleston & Williams, Crown Court, Cheapside, London.

DiPTERA.

North American flies have been but little studied, though so
interesting and numerous. TIdlQ different parts of the body vary
greatly, and often give easy characters for discrimination. Thus
the parts of the head, the form and disposition of the nervures
and the intespaces of the wings, give good generic and specific
differences. Their habits are very variable. Fresh water aquaria,
consisting of glass jars with a few vegetables to oxygenate the

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SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 87

water, are necessary for the maintenance of aquatic larvae. If
quantities of swamp mud and moss with decaying matter is kept
in boxes and jars, multitudes of small flies will be hatched out.
Leaf mining species can be treated as micro-lepidoptera, and earth
inhabiting larvae, like ordinary caterpillars. Dung, mould in hol-
low trees, stems of plants and toad stools contain numerous larvae
or maggots, as the young of flies are called, which must be kept in
damp boxes,

Flies can be pinned alive, without killing them by pressure,
which destroys their form ; and numbers may be killed at once by
moistening the bottom of the collecting box with creosote, benzine
or ether. Minute species can be pinned with minute No. 19 or 20
pins, or pieces of fine silver wire, and stuck into pieces of pith,
which can be placed high up on a large pin. In this way the
specimen can be Handled without danger of breaking. Small
moths can be treated in this way. In pinning long legged, slender
species, run a piece of card or paper up under their bodies upon
which their legs may expand, and thus prevent their loss by
breakage.

Of these insects, as with all others, duplicates in all the stages
of growth, should be preserved in alcohol, as the minute species
often dry up unless put in homeopathic vials.

Gulicidce, Mosquitoes, Gnats, have the mouth parts produced
into a proboscis half as long as the insects themselves, which they
can push into the skin. The females lay their eggs in a boat-
shaped mass, which floats on the surface of the water, and in the
spring the larvae are seen in pools by thousands, jerking them-
selves up and down in the water, after protruding a star-like respi-
ratory organ above the surface to obtain a supply of fresh air.
The pupae are club-shaped, with very large heads, to which two
respiratory feeler-like organs are attached. There are several
generations in a season. A large four-spotted species, {Anopheles
quadrimaculatus) is abundant very early in spring and late in the
fall. There are several genera and species of this family.

Tipulidoe. (Daddy-long-legs. Crane-flies.) The long palpi and

antennae, slender body and very long legs of the members of this

family, make them well known. The smaller species belong to

the genus Chironomus, which is musquito-like, with feathered

anteimae, and abounds in swarms in early spring. Their larvae are

worm-like, of a blood-red color, and are found in the bottom of

ponds.

4

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3g ENTOMOLOGICAL BEPOBT.

Geratopogon^ like the musquito, is a blood-sucker, bas the male
antennaB partially feathered, and the larvaB live in mushrooms,
or under the bark of decaying trees.

Gecidomyia, Gall flies have slender bodies and verticillate an-
tenna, their wings have few nervures, and are placed roof-like
over the body. The female lays her eggs in the stalks of cereals,
and of stems and leaves, which produce galls inhabited by maggots.
The Hessian fly does not; however, produce an enlargement of the
stalk, as is usual. Those species injurious to wheat, &c., can be
collected by sweeping the fields in the spring, at evening, when
they are laying their eggs.

Psychoda is a minute genus, with white, broad, oval wings, which
is found flying about and into, little pools, and in great numbers on
windows. The larvss live in dung.

The MycetophilidoB are of small size, and very active, leaping little
flies, which are found in damp places. The larvsB are long, nearly
round, white or yellowish ; they are gregarious, living in decaying
vegetable matter, fungi, or in dung, one species forming a gall.
Rhyphus is common on windows ; it has rather broad, spotted
wings, and the larva lives in cow dung. The large Tipulce, which
fly all the summer and forih a numerous group, live as larvae in the
mould of gardens, at the roots of willows, and in rotten wood. The
pupa have the margins of the rings spiny, to be able to push them-
selves along, as do many other Diptera. Other species are aquatic,
and should be raised in aquaria. Ckwnea, the snow-gnat, looks
like a spider, being wingless, and is found in March on the snow.

The BiMonidce comprise species very injurious from their feeding
on the roots of grass ; the thorax is stout, and the legs are short.
B. aUnpennis flies in swarms in June and October, alighting slowly
on the passer-by. SimnMum, the black fly, has a stout body and
short legs, often silvery in color. It is aquatic, its larva living oa
the stems of plants.

StratiomyidcB. The insects of the following families have broad
bodies, and short, bristle-like antennae, the basal joints being en-
larged. Those of this family are found among herbage in damp
places. The larvae live in ^e water, in decaying subtances or
dung.

TabanidoB, Horse-flies. The parts of the mouth are here again
converted into a proboscis. The horse-flies are of large size, and
troublesome from their formidable bite. Their eyes are very large.

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SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 8fl

and the thorax l^rge and oblong-square. They abound in pastures
and woods. Their larvae live in the earth. The species of Chrysopa,
the golden-eyed breeze fly, are very troublesome, as they fly about
one's head unceasingly, striving to alight and draw the blood. The
following genera represent families of small extent. Anthrax is
rather broad and flat bodied, with a round head, gaily colored with
yellow and black, the wings often partially black ; it frequents
sunny paths, flying with great swiftness. Bombylitis has the body
covered with long hairs, which gives the genus an oval outline,
with slender legs. They are ej^ceedingly swift on the wing, and
are found in i^unny paths and glades early in the spring, and can
only be taken when lighted on the ground.

Leptis has large palpi, a fleshy proboscis and elongated form.
Their bodies are often spotted, and the wings also spotted or banded.
They are found resting on flowers. and shaded sides of trees. The
larvae are footless grubs, which widen gradually towards the termi-
nal segment, which has two short appendages. The larva of an
European species entraps other insects in holes in the sand, like
the ant-lion, and is three years in coming to the perfect state.

Midas is a genus of large size, M, clavatvs being banded with ^
orange, and expanding over two iifches - It flies in July and August.
The larva, according to Harris, iswhitf, cylindrical, tapering before
wid almost rounded behind. Two breathing pores are situated in
itkb last ring but one. The pupa is brown, nearly cylindrical, and
provided with, a forked tail. It lives in decayed logs and stumps.

Asilus comprises several species, which have long, slender bodies,
a rather stout thorax, and are covered with short, stifle hairs, vari-
ously colored. They are rapacious, seizing other insects and flying
off with them like the sand-wasps. ProctacaMhus philadelphicus is
a very large, dark species, which frequents sunny places. The
larva of A. sericeus lives on the roots of the rhubard plant. It is
three-quarters of an inch long, cylindrical nearly, and tapering at
either end. Their pupa cases, with forked tails, are found sticking
out of the ground and the roots.

Laphria is one of the same family, though the body is much
stouter and more densely covered with yellow and black hairs.
Indeed, in their loud buzz, swift flight and appearance they closely
resemble bumble bees. They are found in sunny places, preying
upon other insects.

Syrphidce. These gaily colored flies, so useftil to agriculture

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40 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

from their habit of feeding upon plant lice, are very like the hymen-
optera in form and coloratioti, having hemispherical heads, rather
flattened bodies, ornamented with yellow bands and spots ; they
hover in the hot sun over and about flowers, resting upon them to
feed upon their sweets. The eggs are laid among a group of plant lice,
which hatch out footless, eyeless, flattened grubs, having extensile
bodies to reach up and grasp the Apfiis by ^w. 20.

their jaws, which are peculiarly modified for
seizing their prey. They do great damage ^
among these enemies of vegetation. The
species of Eristalis which flies abundantly
in May Bbout the blossoms of gooseberries
and currants, live in the water during their larval state, and are
called rat-tailed maggots. The abdomen of Conops is peduncu-
lated, whilethe thorax is globulaf like Eumenes, a genus of wasps.

Empis represents a small group of species that are allied in form
to the Asilidae. They are active flies, and very rapacious, seizing
upon other insects and sucking out their juices. They often as-
semble in swarms. '

Dolichopus and allies have long legs, and are generally green
colored, and occur solitary m leaves or in damp situations, or in
numbers flying and running on the surface of pools and running
brooks, appearing very early in spring.

CEstridae, (Bot-flits.) In these flies, which are of large size, the
mouth parts are nearly obsolete, the flies themselves having thick
bodies, covered thickly with hairs. The fly lays her eggs upon
that j)art of the animal from whic^ the larvae as they hatch out
may -^nd their way by some means to burrow in the back or
stomach of the animal which they infest. From tfience, when full
grown,'nthey escape and pass through their remaining changes in
the earth. These grubs are very thick and soft, being broad oval,
with row« of minute spines along the wings of the body to aid in
locomotion. The Horse bot-fly larva is provided with hooki^^ which
are modified maxillae, to enable it to maintain its position in the
stomach of that animal. The Sheep bot-fly larva lives in the frontal
sinus ; and that of (Estrus bovis in the back of cattle, forming large
open tumors.

Muscidae. The common house fly, the blue bottle fly, and the
flesh fly, at once recall the appearace of this family, one. of great
extent, and much subdivided by entomologists. *"The la«rvae are

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SdENTIFIG SURVEY. 41

in general footless, soft vermiform, ringed grubs, of a cylindrical-
conic form, attenuated in front, and thickened and obtuse behind,
with a head of variable form, furnished with two retractile hooks ;
the terminal segment of the body in many, and also that imme-
diately succeeding the head, furnished with two spiracles, in some
species inserted upon horn-like appendages. The pupa, which is
very unmature in its form, with a swollen head, is enclosed within
the contracted and indurated skin of the larva, which sometimes
assumes the form of an oval, horny exasticulate mass, but in other
species retains more of its former appearance.'' Westwood.

Tachina is parasitic upon caterpillars, and destroys great num-
bers in the same way as Ichneumons. Some of them are parasitic
in the nests of bees. Sarcophaga, the flesh fly, is viviparous, the
larvae being placed upon the meat by the parent fly.

Musca Gaesar, the blue bottle, and vomitoria, the flesh fly, lay
their eggs also upon meat and decaying animal matter, the larvae
developing with great rapidity. The larvae of the House fly live
in dung. Anthomyia raphani is the grub that attacks the radish
roots. Other species live in onions, turnips, and the pulpy parts
of leaves, and in rotten substances and dung. The species are very
numerous ; they are rather small and fly feebly.

Orialis and allies produce galls in plants, or lay their eggs in
fruit, such as raspberries, &c. They are* found in shady places;
their wings are generally spotted. Tephritis asteris causes the
large swellings in the stems of tall asters. Oscinis, in Europe,
does great damage to cereals by laying its eggs in the flowers of
grain, the larva afterwards consuming the grain itself. Thus by
collecting heads of wheat and colnposite flowers and keeping them-
in boxes, &c., these flies may be reared, and much light thrown
upon their history and modes of attack. Many of these small flies,
like the micro-lepidoptera, are leaf-miners, and can scarcely be dis-
tinguished from them when in the larva state.

Mppoboscidae, (Spider-flies.) These are small, flat-bodied flies,
of disgusting appearance and habits, which by their large clawed
legs run over the surface of quadrupeds and birds with great
agility, burying themselves in the fur or feathers.

Nycteribia, or Bat-tick, is a wingless genus, with long legs and
a spider-like body, and has similar habits to the Hippoboscidae.
Mellophagus ouis is the Sheep-tick. " These singular creatures are
not produced from eggs, in the usual way among insects, but are

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42 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPOET.

brought forth in the pupa state, enclosed in the egg-shaped skin
of the larva, which is nearly as large as the body of the parent in-
sect. This egg-like body is soft and white at first, but soon be-
comes hard and brown. It is notched at one end, and out of this
notched part the enclosed insect makes its way, when it arrives at
maturity.'' This species is probably viviparous, and the larvae
are hatched within the body of the parent.

Puliddae. Fleas are but wingless flies, with hard, compressed
bodies, a long, sucker-like arrangement of their mouth-parts, and
large hind legs, formed for leaping. Their metamorphosis is com^
plete, the larvae batched from eggs l^ifi upon hairs, being worm-
like, as in flies. They come to maturity in a few days ; spin a sort
of cocoon, and change to pupae, when the perfect insects appear
in about ten days. Thus a generation may be produced in a
month. Different species inhabit man, cats, dogs, &c. Those in-
festing the lower animals do not pass from one species to another.

COLEOPTERA.

Beetles have been studied much more than other insects ; in this
country there have been described some 8,000 species, but from
the difficulty of finding their larvae and carrying them through
their successive stages of growth, the immature forms of but few
native species are known. The family forms are easy to distin-
guish and characterize, the genera are based upon marked changes
in the diflferent parts of the body, which vary greatly, and some
of the best characters lie in the relative size of the head pieces and
those pieces that make up the flanks of the three thoracic rings,
and the basal joints of the legs. The relative size and the sculpture
of the body and of the elytra ; and lastly, the coloration, which
varies much among the individuals, afford good specific characters.

The most productive places for the occurrence of beetles are
alluvial loams, covered with woods, or with rank vegetation, where
at the roots of plants or upon their flowers," under leaves, logs and
stones, under the bark of decaying trees, and in ditches and by the
banks of streams, the species occur in greatest numbers. Orass
lands, mosses and fungi, the surfaces of trees and dead animals,
bones, chips,pieceB of board and excrement, should be searched
diligently. Many are thrown ashore in sea-wrack, or opcur under
the debris of freshets on river banks. Many Oarabidae run on
sandy shore. Very early in spring, stones can be upturned, ants

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SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 48

nests searched, and the waters be sifted for species not met with
at other times of the year.

For beating bushes, a large strong ring-net should be made, with
a stout bag of cotton cloth fifteen inches deep. This is a very ser-
viceable net for many purposes. Vials of alcohol, a few quills
stopped with cork, and close tin boxes for larvae and the fungi,
&c., in which they live, should be provided ; indeed, the collec-
tor should never be without a vial and box. Beetles should be
collected largely in alcohol, and the colors do not change if pinned
soon after being taken. Coleoptera should be placed fiq. 21.
high-up on the pin, (Fig. 21, Gurculio,) as indeed
all insects should. The pinf should be stuck through
the right elytron so that it shall come out beneath or
between the middle and hind pair of legs. Small species
should be pinned with No. 19 and 20 pins, which can
be afterward mounted on high pins as described for ^ , '
flies. Many coleopterists gum small species, under a tenth of an
inch long, upon a small triangular bit of card, placing them cross-
wise with a cement of inspissated ox-gall, gum arabic and water,
or gum mixed with a little sugar. The first mentioned cement is
very convenient for mending broken specimens. Specimens thus
gummed haye some of the best generic characters often concealed,
and hence fine pins seem best to mount them upon.

The specimens should be neatly set, in their natural postures.
Some individuals should have their wings expanded to show the
neuration. Beetles are best arrayed in boxes lined with cork well
smoothed and neatly papered, 12 by 9 inches square, and an inch
and a half deep, These boxes can be put under cover.

CicindeUdoe, • The Tiger-beetle, has a large head, much broader
than the j)rothorax» very long jaws, like curved scissors, and long
slender legs. Their colors are green or darker, with purplish or
metallic reflection, marked with light dots and stripes. They abound
in sunny paths, and sandy shores of rivers, ponds, and of the ocean,
flving and running swiftly. Capture them by throwing the bag
net quickly* over them after they are settled ; when abundant re-
main still in one place, waiting for them to settle near you, thus
saving time and trouble. If without a net, throw a handful of
sand at one, and thus confuse and catch it in its endeavors to
escape. The larvae are hideous in aspect : the head is large, with
long jaws, the thoracic rings large and broad, and the 9th ring has a

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44

ENirOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

tubercle and hook, by which the grub can climb up its hole, at the
entrance of which it lies in wait for weaker insects. These holes
are found in sandy banks frequented by the beetles. Either dig the
larvae out, or thrust in a straw, which they will seize and often
suffer themselves to be drawn out.

This and the four following families are carnivorous, benefiting
agriculture from the immense numbers of insects they destroy.

Gardbidod. In this group the head is narrower than the thorax,
which is throughout as broad as the abdomen. The powerful jaws
are shorter, and not curved as in the Cicindelidae. The body is
also flatter and more oblong. They are runners, the under wings
being often absent. Their color geneyally dull. They run in grass,
or lurk under stones and sticks, are under bark of trees, and under
the debris of freshets, in the greatest numbers in spring. Lehia
is found in Autumn on trees and tops of composite plants. Amara
feeds on pith and stems of grasses. Others feed on wheat. They
are*often attracted by light. JElaphus, which is flat, and covered
with poarse metallic punctures, ruijs on the mud flats of rivers, &c.

The larvae are found in much the same situations as the beetle
and are oblong, broad, with the terminal ring armed with two hor-
ney appendages, and beneath a single tube-like false leg. They
are black in color. The larva of Caloaoma ascends trees to feed
on caterpillars.

C. scrutator, (Fig. 22,) is our most
splendid New England beetle of this
family. It has not yet been found
in Maine. C. calidum, our common
golden spotted purple species, digs
holes in $elds where it lies in wait
for its prey.

Dystiddce, or Diving beetles, are,
by their carnivorous habits closely
allied to the Carabidae. They are*^
aquatic, flattened elliptical beetles,
with their hind legs ciliated, forming
a broad surface for swimming. In
night time they leave the water and fly about. Their larvae are
ferocious looking objects, and from their long curved jaws, and
agile and stealthy habits, called Water Tigers. They prey on tad-
poles and large insects. The beetles are most commonly found in

Fig

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48CIENTinC SUBVBY. 46

spring and fall. They can be raised, and their habits observed in
Aquaria.

Gyrinidce, Whirl-gigs, are easily distinguished by their form and
habits, being always seen in groups, gyrating and circling about
on the surface of pools, and whem caught giving out a disagreeable
milky fluid. Their short antennae, short mandibles and two pair
of ocelli, and bluish black colors, distinguish them from other
aquatic beetles. Like the previous family, upon bfing disturbed,
they suddenly dive to the bottom, holding on by their claws to
submerged objects. They carry a bubble of air on the tip of their
abdomen, and when the supply is exhausted, they rise for more.
The larvae resemble a small centipede, with lateral ciliated fila-
ments, serving as organs of respiration.

Sydrophike. Carnivorous as larvae, but when beetles, vegetable
eaters, and living on refuse and decaying matter ; this family unite
the habits of the previous mentioned families, with those of the
scavenger silphidae, &c. They are aquatic, small, convex oval,
or hemispherical beetles. Their antennae are short, and their palpi
are long and slender. The allies of the genus Sfphoerium, live in
excrements of herbivorous animals.

Silphidce, Carrion or Sexton beetles, are useful in burying
decaying bodies in which they lay their eggs. Smaller species
live in 'fungi, &c. ; other genera live only in caves ; Catopa inhab-
its ants' nests. Another genus BraMnus, has been found from
Lake Superior to Nova Scotia, about grass roots in wet places, and
are small shiny insects of graceful form, according to Le Conte.

The group is distinguished by the knobbed antennae. Their
larvae are crustaceous, flattened, the sides of the body often serrated,
black and of a fcBtid smell ; or those immersed in the midst of their
food have weak limbs and soft bodies. The beetles can be caught
on the wing in warm spring days, or taken at light in summer.
By placing dead birds and small mammals, &c. in favorable places,
they are allured in considerable numbers. .

By the Scydmctenidae which are minute oval shiny brown insects
found under stones near water, in ants nests and under bark, we
pass to the Pselaphidae, with short elytra, much broader than the
prothorax and head, with clavate antennae, and palpi nearly as
long, which are found in spring in moss, or swept from herbage or
taken while on the wing, we come to the Staphylinidce or Rove
beetles, which are long, linear, black, with remarkably short elytra,

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46 . ENTOMOLOaiCAL REPCtRT.

the abdomen beyond having T to 8 visible rings. Though some-
times an inch in length, they are more commonly minute, inhabiting
wet places under stones, manure heaps, fbngi, moss, under the
surface of bark, or leaves of trees. Some burrow in sand, others
form galleries under bark ; Stenus is found running on mud, near
water ; Micralymna is found at low water mark in sea weeds in the
larva state. Many species inhabit ants' nests, and should be care-
fully sought f©r on dewy mornings, under stones and pieces of
wood, which should be taken up and shaken over a white cloth or
paper ; or the whole nest should be sifted through a rather coarse
sieve, when the small beetles will fall through the meshes.

The larvae resemble the beetles, and are difficult to rear.

^Histeridce. These beetles are square or oblong, hard, solid, shiny
insects, black, with the prothorax hollowed out to receive the
head, which has long prominent jaws. The elytra are usually
striated. The antennae are elbowed, club shaped, and the legs are
broad and thin. Others are oval and spotted. They are found in
excrement and under bark of trees.

Nitidulidce. Broad oval or elliptical, depressed, the head also
received into the excavated prothorax. The three last joints of the
antennae are gathered into a broad club. Insects of small size,
and found about rubbish, bones, &c. Ips has bright colors, often
red, is one of the larger genera, and is found 4nder bark and on .the
sour sap of stumps and trees in the spring. Others are found in
fungi and in flowers. The larvae inhabit similar places. They
are flattened oblong whitish grubs, the end of the abdomen has four
horny conical upturned appendages. The pupae are found loose
in rubbish and decaying wood, saw dust, &c.

Of similar form and habits is Mycetophagus, and other genera,
representing families of small extent.

Dermestidce. Every entomologist dreads the ravages of Der-
mestes and Anthrenus in his cabinet. The ugly bristly insidious
larvae which so skilfully hide in the body whose interior it con-
sumes, leaving onlv the shell ready to fall to pieces at any jar,
can be kept out only with great precautions. Dermestea tar-
darius is oblong oval, legs short, black, with the base of the elytra
gray buff', covered by two broad lines. It is timid and slow in its
movements, when disturbed seeking a shelter, or mimicking death.
Anthrenus muaaearum is round oval, with transverse waved lines.
Its larva is thick, with long bristles, which are largest on the end

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SCI£NTIFIO SURVEY. . 47

of the body. They eat also the integuments of stuffed specimens,
doing great injury. Boxes and drawers should be tight enough to
keep them out, or it may be done with camphor or benzine in a
sponge or in cotton. Collections which are much infected should
be baked.

Byrrhus, which is short, thick convex, is found under stems and
on leaves. When disturbed it counterfeits death. Larva long,
narrow, oblong. By the small group of Byrrhidae we pass to one
of immense extent, and of great importance to agriculturists from
the great injury they do as leaf-eaters.

Scardbeidoef or Lamellicornes, are distinguished by their lamel-
lated antennae, short broad, thick convex form ; their legs are
flattened, and toothed for the purpose of digging. * The tip of the
abdomen is generally exposed. The males are often armed with
horns on the clypeus. Colors black, dull or shiny, coppery or gaily
ornamented. Among them occur tropical insects, such as the Go-
liath beetles, which are the largest of insects. Lucanus has immense
jaws ; in the males they are likl deer's horns. The larva forms a
cocoon of the chips it has made in boring into decaying trees. The
larvae are thick, cylindrical, soft fleshy grubs, the abdomen in-
curved, so that the grub lays on its side, the legs being short and
weak. They live several years.
• Aphodius is a small semicylitidrical genus, flying about ordure in
spring ; of similar habits is Oeotrupes, a large green or purplish
colored genus. Copris, called Tumble Dungs, enclose their eggs
in, pellets of excrement.

• Mehloniha and allies are leaf eaters, which have long-clawed
legs to cling on to leaves, where they are found early in summer.
Their larvae eat the roots of grass, and before transforming, form
oval earthern cocoons. Macrodactylus, the Kose beetle, is found
on roses and rhubarb blossoms in gardens.

Lachnostema, the June bug, does much injury to apple and
cherry trees. The males fly in evening in search of the other sex.
The large grubs are turned up abundantly in spring, in gardens.
• Skunks feed upon them, and smaller species are eaten by toads,
indeed many rare species of beetles have been found in the stom-
ach of toads and insectivorous birds.

Buprestidw. Beetles, with elongate, flattened, very solid bodies,
often angulated, the antennae slender and serrated, legs short.
The h6ad is received into the excavated prothorax. Colors bril-

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48 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

liant, often metallic. On being disturbed, the insects draw up their
legs and feign death, They creep slowly, flying in the hot sun,
and feed on wood, flowers and sap ; being found especially on fir
trees. They should be sought for while sunning themselves on.
trunks of trees, where they lay their eggs.

The larvae are also elongated, the thorax is broad, while the
abdomen may be equally broad, or narrow and cylindrical. They
are wood borers, and live in this state several years.

Chalcophora virginica is common in May and June. Dicerca
has the tip of abdomen divided. Chrysobothris lives in the apple
tree.

JBlateridaef or Snapping beetles, are known to many by their
power of righting themselves when turned on their backs, by
jerking themselves up into the air, since their legs are too short
to catch hold of the surface they are upon. They are of a very
uniform elongate ellipsoid form, somewhat flattened, the head and
prothorax rendered«very distinct by a depression of the base of the
elytra. Colors are obscure brown, sometimes green with metallic
reflections.

They frequent the flowers of Viburnum, of rhubarb in gardens,
and are foiiijd under bark. The Uitcnemidce are rare, being found
under bark or on leaves. AlaiLS oculatus, is the larger ocellated
species. The larvae are called vrir^-worms from their long cylin-
drical form. They feed on the roots of grass, grain, &c., often
devour turnips, salad, -cabbages and pinks, living in the interior
of these stems. Moles devour great quantities of them. Other
species inhabit rotten stumps. They live several years in this
state.

We pass over several smaller groups to the

Lampyridoe, or Glow worm. They resemble the Elaters, but are
shorter and broader, and of softer consistence.

The species of EUychnia are found early in spring and fall, on
trunks of trees, and they winter under the bark.

The female glow worm is apterous, and resembles the. larvae ; the
end of the abdomen is light colored, and at night this portion
sheds a brilliant light at its will. Winged females of other genera
* emitting a bright Mght, appear on low grounds in the evenings, at
the middle of June. Drilua is distinguished by the plumose an-
tennae. The larvae are flatted, the margin of their bodies is ser-
rated, and they are soft and black in color. They are carnivorous

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ft

SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 49

and feed on snails, and are found in places frequented by these
mollusks, as at the roots of alders and willows, -under the bog
moss.

Eurypalpus LeiJontei is an anomaly, ejjnce it lives under stones in
rivers and brooks, bein^ oval hemispherical as a larva, the sides of
the body greatly extended, resembling some species of Crustacea.
The beetles are narrow and rather short. The species of Telephorus
live on leaves of plants, especially the birch. They are carnivo-
rous, often feeding upon each other.

We pass by the Malachidce to the '

Cleridce, which are beetles whose larvae are carnivorous. They
are cylindrical, the prothorax narrower than the head. They are
fast runners, and run like ants, which they much resemble, over
flowers and trees, to feed on the sweets and sap. Trichodes nut-
tallii is blue and red, and found on the flowers of Golden rods and
Spiraea. The narrow long pink-colored larvae of Thanasimus can
be found under the bark of dead pine trees, where it devours the
larvae of Hylurgus and Hylobius ; Clerus and allies are found in
bumble bees' nests. In Europe they have been found infesting the
nests of mason bees ( Osmia and Megachile.) _ -

FHnidce. They also infest herbariums and museums. They are
small beetles, of an obscure brown color, somewhat oval„ behind
truncated, the prothorax slender and receiving the head. The an-
tennae are long and filiform, and in constant motion when the
insect- walks. Upon being disturbed it feigns death. They are
found about out-houses. Ptinus fur has done great mischief in
eating wheat. Anobius is the Death-tick ; the females strike their
jaws on the surface of walls, to attract the other sex in the pairing
season. The larva are also supposed to make the same noise.
When about to change to pupae, they construct silken cocoons.
BostrichuSy lives in fungi and under bark ; Gis in toadstools ; the
larvae are fleshy white grubs.

The Tenehrionidcey are apt to be confounded, by beginners, with
Carabids, but the prothorax is much narrower than the abdomen,
and the head is narrower still. Antennae clavate, feet short, of
black or brown colors. The surface is smooth, in 'Tenebrio, or
roughly corrugated in Upis, They are generally found under
stones, logs, and in toad-stools. T. molitor, the meal worm, in-
habits granaries. Ship bread is eaten by the larvae, which are
"about an inch long, of cylindrical and lineal form, very smooth

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50 ENTOMOLOaiCAL BKPOBT.

and glossy, of a fulvous color/' Blapa is found in moist places;
other genera, under bark ; Fhaleria, on the sea shore. Bolelo-
plmguSf as the name suggests, lives in fungi.

Passing over several small groups we come to the

Mordellidae, which are wedge-shaped, sq^^U, glisteninja: pubes-*
cent black beetles, which occur in abundance on the flowers of
golden rod and asters, and when disturbed leap like fleas. The
larvae of Mordella are found in the pith of plants in autumn, and are
long, subcylindrical, the sides of the rings furnished with fleshy
tubercles.

Meloidae. This and the following family are most interesting,
from their parasitic habits, and demand careful study and observa-
tion. Meloe augusHcolUs, is an inch long, thorax very small, square;
abdomen large and swollen ; the elytra are small and oval. The
antennae of the male are crooked in the middle. It is of a deep
Prussian blue. It feeds on grass in the spring, in the summer it is
found in the White Mountains, feeding on Clintonia borealis. The
larva is very different from the beetle, and as found parasitic on
wild bees, resembles larvae of some Staphylinidae, being oblong,
flattened ; the three thoracic rings above, of nearly equal size,
transversely obloi%, the h^d nearly of the same size, with short
antennae ; the legs have very long claws, with an intermediate
long pacl. Prom the tip of the abdomen proceed two pairs of
setae of unequal length. They are found living upon bees between
the joints of the head and thorax, their heads immersed in the dense
scales of the bee. In Europe this genus has been found parasitic
on Ce tenia. Our Cetonia Inda, and other related beetles should be
searched for them. The eggs are laid on the ground, and the active
larvae attach themselves soon after hatching, to bees, and to the
Syrphus flies, and Muscae.

Caniharis and our Epicauta, secrete cantharidine, of use in phar-
macy. E, atrata, is found in abundance on golden rod, and it is per-
fectly black, with long elytra. Ehipiphorua, is parasitic on the
wasp ; Bipidia on BlaUa americana, the cockroach.

Styhpidde^ The larvae of this most anomalous family are much
like that of Melve. They are oval in form. The perfect insects
are not a quarter of an inch long. The elytra are pad-like, while
the hind wings are greatly developed, expanding broadly, folding
when the insect is at rest, along the body. They live but a short
time in the perfect state. "They are parasitic in the bodies of

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SCIENTIFIC SU^VBT. 51

species belonging to various genera of aculeate Hymenoptera ; the
comparatively large size of these parasites, causes a distension of
the abdomen of the Hymenopteron aflFected, and, on close observa-
tion, the heads of the pupa cases may be seen emerging between
the segments. The head of the pupa case of the male is convex,
that of the female is flat ; specimens containing male pupae can be
kept confined with proper food, until the parasite is hatched.
Stylops inhabits bees, of the genus Andraena, I have never met
with specimens. Xenon Pechky lives in our common wasp Polistes
fuscata, I have seen stylopized individuals of Odynerus quadrifior^
nis, and of a large species of Sphex.'' — 'Le Conie, Stylops has
four joints, Xenos, six joints to the antennae. There is a spe-
cies of Xenos, only found, thus far, in/ Nova Scotia, which must
likewise occur in Maine. They are •found at different seasons of
the year, but mostly in April and May. They have been taken by
sweeping grass in August.

The three following families are of great extent, and do great
mischief to agriculturists, by the great variety in their modes of
attack upon plants.

Ourculionidae — (See Fig. 21.) This group is at once recog-
nized, by having the head lengthened into a long snout, near the
middle of which are situated the elbowed antennae. Their bodies
are hard and round, and often very minute in size. The beetles are
very timid, and quickly feign d^th. The larvae are white, thick,
fleshy, .legless grubs, with tubercles, instead of limbs, and armed
with thick, arched, strong jaws. They feed on nuts, seeds, the pith
of plants, leaves or flowers ; while some are leaf miners, and others
make galls. Before they transform they spin a silky cocoon.

Bruchus pi&i is short and oblong, it lays its eggs on the pea,
when in flower, and lives in the pea till the following spring.

Anthribus is parasitic in the body of Coccus. Brenthus inhabits
the solid trunks of oaks. Apion inhabits the seeds of clover. Hy-
lobitis pales is found under the bark of the pine, where Pissodes strobi
in all its stages occurs. Bhynchaenus nenuphar infests the plum.
Calandra granaria, the grain weevil, is an eighth of an inch long,
and consumes the interior of wheat. Balaninus forms galls on the
willow. Scolyiua, Xyhieres and Tomicus are cylindrical bark bor-
ers ; " they form galleries in the bark, or sap wood, often causing
the disease called fire blight.''*

Cerambycidae, The Longicorns are insects with long bodies.

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62 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

tapering behind ; the elytra broader than the prothorax, the anten-
nae and legs very long, and are large handsome beetles, often gaily
ornamented. They fly in hot days about woods and timber.
Orthosoma cylindricum flies into Houses at light in the evening.
PnonuSf and allies, are large, dull colored, flattened beetles, which
fly in the evening. The larva is broad and flattened, the head can
be drawn in the pro thorax farther than usual. It forms cocoons of
the chips it mkkes. Asemum flies in hot days, often in great
numbers.

Cerambyx, and allies, have the antennae very _

long, and are highly colored. They are found
in trunks of trees, or flying clumsily among the
leaves. , Glytus speciosus, bores in the locust.
Saperda Candida, (Fig. 23. ) is the apple tree borer.
A species of Staphylinus is", in Europe, parasitic
upon one of this genus. Stenocorus putator, the
oak pruner, severs the twigs of that tree, by eat-
ing the wood under the bark, which the wind
breaks oflf.

Leptura and the neighboring genera, narrow rapidly at the hinder
portion of their bodies, the antennae are rather short, and they
occur on flowers, such as Spiraea, &c. Rhagium linecUum has a
flatted larva which can be found under the bark of pines, in large
cells formed of its chips. Desmocer^s palliatits, the *' Purple cloak,''
is found boring in the pith of eliers.

Chrysomelidce. The insects of this family have hemispherical or
oval convex bodies, with small heads sunken in the thorax, and
live in all their stages on the leaves of plants. The larvae have
thick b©dies, the rings composing it are very convex, and above
marked with tubercles and thickened deposits ; they are often gaily
colored.

Donacia, which approaches the Cerambycidae in its elongated
body and long antennsd, lives as a larva in the stems of aquatic
plants ; the pupa is found in silken cocoons attached to the roots
of the submerged plants. Lema trilineata, which closely resembles
the squash beetle, devours the leaves of the potato. Cassida, or the
Tortoise beetle, is round, depressed, and yellow. Its larva is broad
and flattened, with lateral ciliated filiaments, and its abdomen is
produced into a tail which it holds loaded with its excrement, over
its back for purposes of concealment and defence, ffispa is a leaf

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BClEimFIC SURVBT. 53*

miner, it8«iintite larva making galleries in the leaves of the apple
tree, and wild cherry. Galeruca vittata, the squash beetle, is yel-
low with black stripes. The different species of ffaltica or flea
beetled, are little, black colored, most hurtful insects, which destroy
young tomatoes, turnips, &c. Several species of ualligrapha are
found on alders, they are oval and richly ornamented with doti
and curved lines.

ChlamySf which is an oblong square beetle, has its convei sur-
face most curiously corrugated ; as a larva it lives in a cylindrical
case on, the sweet fern.

Coccinellidae (Lady bugs.) They are hemispherical, generally
red or yellow, with round or lunate black spots. Chihcorus is
black with yellow dots. The eggs are laid, often, in a group of
plant lice, or Aphides ; as soon as hatched the larvae devour them:
When about to turn to pupae, they attach themselves by ^^^ ^
their terminal rings to the leaf they are upon. The beetle x>
is as voracious as the larva. In Europe gardeners take ^^J|^5^^
pains to collect and put them on trees infested, by lice, ^^^^
which they will soon remove. GocdneUa novemnotata, (Pig. 24,)
is a common species in gardens.

Orthoptera.

In studying these insects, the proportion of the head, of t;he pro-
thorax, of the wings, of the hind legs, and the external genital
parts, should especially be taken into account. The ornamenta-
tion varies greatly even in t^e same species, and therefore large
numbers of individuals are necessary to ensure a proper knowl-
edge of any species.

The transformation of grasshoppers need careful study. For
this purpose their eggs should be^sought for, and the development
of the embryo in the egg be noted ; also the following facts should
be ascertained : the date of deposition of the eggs ; the manner of
laying them ; how long before the embryo is hatched ; the date of
hatching; how many days the pupa lives; also so of the pupa
and of the imago, while the intervening changes should be care-
fully observed. Crows and blackbirds feed on their eggs and
larvae, and hens and turkeys feed greedily upon young and old.
Ichneumon parasites prey upon them, and also the lower worms,
such as Pilaria, Gregarina and Gordius and red mites, attack them.
Mud wasps provision their nests with their young.

«

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M SNTOIfiOLOGigAL BSPOBT.

Orthoptera can be eaaily preserved in strong {ileoliQ}, and can
afterwards be taken out and* pinned and set at leisure. They cmi
be killed with ether or benzine, as coleoptera, without losing their
colors, as they would do, after remaining long in alcohol. * Thej
should be pinned through a little triangular spot between the bases of
the elytra or fore wings, when the wings can be spread to advan-
age. They are also often pinned through the prothorax, or through
the right elytra, as in coleoptera. In pinning these insects for
transportation, care should be taken to put in additional pins on
each side of the abdomen, and in like manner to steady the hind
legs, which are very apt to fall off if too much jarred.

The different sounds produced by Orthoptera should be carefully
studied ; every species can be distinguished by its peculiar note,
and as in different families the musical apparatus varies, so eadi
family has a characteristic chirrup, or shrilling, or harsh, grating,
rasping noise.

Forficulidae, Earwigs. Narrow, flattened insects, very unlike
other Orthoptera, with short wing covers, like the Staphylinids
among beetles; terminal ring* armed with a pair of very long
incurved forceps-like homy pieces; nocturnal insects, hiding in
the daytime between leaves and in flowers, flying about at dark.
They feed on the corollas of flowers and oh fruit ; they will eat bread
and meat, &c., and are very troublesome in Europe. Our species
has not yet been found in Maine, though inhabiting other parts of
New England. An Alpine species lives under stones in Europe.

BlattariaCf Cockroaches. Also nocturnal, hiding by day, or as
in the wild species, under stones, ic. They are fond of heat.
While troublesome from eating garments, &c., they do great ser- *
vice in clearing houses and vessels of bed-bugs, which they prey
upon. We have several species in New England which should be
carefully sought after. They are found under stones, and are
smaller than the house cockroach. They are oval, the head round-
ed and partially concealed, with long antennae. The fore wings
are thickened, the anal stylets short. Color almost invariably a
reddish brown. The eggs are laid in large bean-shaped capsules,
which are divided into two apartments, each containing a row of
separate chambers, about thirty in number, and each enclosing an
efSfS' Many days are required for oviposition. An English writer
has stated that in BlaUa and a species of Phaama the larva and pupa
state are undergone before leaving the eggs, so that the changes

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of the huiUibing belong to the imago state. Fature obserTation
muBt show whether this be generally the case in this suborder.
Varipas Ichneumons feed on the eggs.

Fhasmidae, Walking sticks. Our New England Diaphomera
femoratd is four inches long ; linear, wings minute, legp very long
and linear, and is found in trees, rose bushes, &c. It is very slug-
gish ai»l not easily disjtinguished from the twigs it may be resting
upon. The eggs of this group are bean-shaped with scattered dots.

OryUodm. Crickets are known by their dark colors, depressed
oblong form, and long anal stylets, and by their long antennae.
'the female has an ovipositor nearly as long as her body. They are
ground insects and fast runners. The male chirrups to attract the
other sex ; the apparatus being a specialization of the membrane
and nervur^s at the base of the wings, so that the rubbing of the
wings one upon ihe other produces a rasping-like noise. The eggs
are laid in casea, and the insects come to maturity in the fall. Our
common black species i» the OryUus neglectua,

Gilbert White says of the Ea^^h cricket : '' When the males
nieet they will fight fiercely, as I foui^ by some which I put into
the crevices of a dry stone wall, where I should have been glad to
have made them settle; for though they seemed distressed by
being taken out of their knowledge, yet the first that got possession
of the chinks, would seize upon any that were obtruded upon them
with a vast row of serrated fangs. With their strong jaws, toothed
like the shears of a lobster's daws, they perforate and round their
curious regular cells, having no fore-claws to dig, like the mole-
cricket. Of such herbs as grow before the mouth of their burrow
they eat indiscriminately ; and on a little platform which they make
just by, they drop their dung ; and never, in the daytime, stir
more than two or three inches from home.''

The mole cricket, QryUotaJpa, live in wet, swampy soil, by ponds
and sl^neams, where they raise ridges, as they make their subterran-
ean galleries in search of insects. Their fore legs are adapted
like those of the mole for digging, and are stout and short, much
flattened, and armed with solid, tooth-like projections. Their eggs
are in a tough sack, containing two to four hundred, it is stated.
; '* As mole crickets often infest gardens by the sides of canals,
they are unwelcocae guests to the gardener, raising up ridges in
their subterraneous progress, and rendering the wal^ unsightly.
If they Xak» t» the kitche&4)fiMrter9, they occasion great damage

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56 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT. •

amoDg the plants and roots, by destroying whole beds of cabbages,
young legumes and flowers. When dug out, they seem very slow
and helpless, and make no use of their wings by day ; but at night
they con^e abroad and make long excursions, as I have been con-
vinced by ^ding stragglers, in a morning, in improbable places.
In fine weather, about the middle of April, and just at the cl^se of
the day, they begin to solace themselves with a low, dull, ^sirring ^
note, continued for a long time without interruption, and *not un-
lie the chattering of the fern owl or goat-sucker, but mo% inward.

" About the beginning of May they lay their eggs, as I was once
an ey^-^witness ; for a gardener at a house where I was on a visit,
happening to be mowing on the sixth of that month, by the side of
a canal, his scythe struck too deep, pared off a large piece of tuft,
and laid open to view a curious scene of domestic econqpiy. There
were many Cavern and winding passages leading to a kind of
chaoibef, neai;ly smoothed and rounded, and about the size of a
moderate snuff box. Within this secret nursery were deposited
nearly an hundred eggs, of a dirty yellow color, and enveloped in
a tough akin ; but too lately excluded to contain any rudiments of
young, being full of a viscid substance. The eggs lay but shallow,
and within the influence of the sun, just under a little heap of fresh
moved mould, like that which is raised by ants.

' ' When mole-crickets fly, they move cursu undoso, rising and
falling ih curves." White.

Nothing is known about our New England species, of which we
have more than in Europe.

(Eeanthus niveus, is very flat and broad behind, with long legs,
and white, colored wiUi yellow ; the female is narrower and tinged
•with green. They live on grape vines, and are easily detected by
their loud shrilling. They lay their eggs in the stems of plants,
by perforating the stalks with their ovipositor, and they have been
found thus perforating the branches of peach trees ; they also feed
upon the tobacco leaves. It has not yet been observed in Maine,

Lpcusiariae, are large, generally broad-winged grasshoppers,
with long, slender legs. The Katydid belongs to this family. It
has not yet been found in Maine. But its allies which live in
bushes and on trees, sueh as the large Phaneroptera auguatifolia, .
and which make a loud, shrilling noise, are common.

GeuthophilujB maculatus, a wingless species, of a dark brown color,
is common under stones ; in other, pftrts of the country they are

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* 8GIENTIFI0 SURVEY. » 57

found in caves. A di^rent* apecies ftom the macuIcUu^s inhabitB
the island of Grand Manan.

Acrydii. The common grasshoppers have large heads, rather
short and thick antennae, thick, compressed bodies, and the pro-
thorax projects backward conspicuously, and is often divided by
crosswise impressions. The hind legs are stout and thick, adapted
to the leaping habits of the insects.

Locusta coralUna appears for about two weeks in May in dry
fields. L, sulphurea and caroHna, the " quakers,'' are fall insects ;
so are the different species of ChloedUis, which survive the frosts
till late into November. They produce their chirrping noise by
rubbing their thighs on the wing covers. Red mites are frequently
found sucking the juices beneath the wings. The species of
Tettix are small, but prodigious leapers, and are characterized by
having the pro thorax carried out to the end of the abdomen.
Toads and frogs devour large numbers of grasshoppers.

HsinPTBRA.

This suborder has been greatly neglected ; these insects are not
the favorites of entomologists. In studying the different groups
the investigator is aided by the great variation in the general pro-
portions of the body ; in the shape and relative size of the head
and its appendages. The species are subject to great individual
variation, which should caution the student in drawing the limits
between them*

Aquatic species should be taken out hf the water*net by thrust-
ing it under swiming species, or pushing it among submerged grass
or weeds where small species are lurking. Several species of
small size are found under logs, &c., in the water. By sweeping
grass and herbage as for coleoptera in the last part of the summer,
large numbers occur which can only be obtained in this way, Hy-
bemating species are found under leaves in hard w<tod forests.
The large carnivorous kinds are found on bushes frequently with
lepidopterous larvae transfixed on their jaws.

The soft bodied species of ApMs and allies should be preserved
in alcohol. These species should be carefully watched for their
parasites, and can be easily kept iqi slender glass vials through
which the insects can be watched. All hemiptera should be pinned
through the distinct triangulat scutellum in the middle at the base
of the wings. The minute hard spedes of Tettigoniae, Thrips and

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£8 JsmomowoiOAL Mfiovr.

•mall Ci^sidae, may be stack upon carda aer in the cdeoptera.
When on a collecting tour they can all be tl^own into alcohol,
and taken oat afterwards and pinned Mid set.

Jhripadae. This family has by some anthers been consid-
to form a distinct order called Thysanoptera. They are minnte,
narrow and flattened insects, Tery active in their habits, are
found in flowers, especially composite plants, snch as the White-
weed, and when running over the hand cause a severe itching.
There* are two pairs of long narrow wings without any nerv-
«res, which eete delicately fringed on the margin, and are laid
one above the other over the' body. The mouth pi^is are free,
but the mandibles are like two bristles, the maxillae are flat tri-
angular, be^-ing a pair of palpi. These parts are partially united
into a conicle sucker which is folded upon the breast. The pro-
thorax is largely developed ; the legs are short, and the elongated
abdomen terminates in severdi long bristles which are closely
united together.

Some species are wingless, being found under the bark of ^<*- ^'
trees. They closely resemble their larvae (Fig. 25), which
are found in the same situations as the perfect insects, and
are distingushed from them by the uniformity of the three
thoracic rings, and their similarity to those of the abdomen ;
by their softer body, and shorter antennae and legs, and the
want of simple eyes. They are often pale yellow, blood red and
flesh color. The pupae have '' the limbs obscured by a fllm, and
the wings, enclosed in a short fixed sheath. The antennae are
turned back on the head, and the insect, though it moves about,
is much more sluggish than in the other states.''

The species are very injurious to flowers, eating holes in the co-
rollas, and sucking the sap from the flowers of wheat, in the bot-
tom of which they hide.

dcadidde, commonly called " locusts," are large wedge-shaped
insects, with a large broad head, prominent eyes, their ocelli on
top ; wings transparent with thick veins. The males have a mt*-
sical apparatus beneath the wings on the hinder ring of the thorax,
which acts like a kettle drum, producing the loud, penetrating,
•hrill sound issuing appareintly from trees. Cicada rimosa, our
smallest species in Maine, begins to be heard a little before the
middle of June. The C. canicularis is larger and comes later, being
an autumnal species. Mr. Tenill has observed this species m

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8C0KN1MC fiMtYBT. 5d

Notway Iftjing its eggs in the stems of Solidago or Golden Bod.
It made a longitudinal incision with ragged ed^es into the pith of
the plant, then with its ovipositor forced its eggs some distance
dowii in the pith bdow the enter opening ; there were two rows of
^ggs succeeding ih^ first single one, each pair diverging outwards,
the lower ends of each pair nearly touching each other, and all the
pairs were placed very near together. The habits of the seventeen
year locust which does not inhabit Northern New England, are
well described by Dr. Harris in his Treatise. The young larvae
feed on the roots of the oak and apple, clustering upon the roots,
and sucking the sap with their beak-like mouth.

Membranicidae. Antennae three-jointed ; head broad, with two
ocelli. The insects of this family assume the most grolesque forms.
They are great leapers. Oeresa is broad, wedge shaped, green or
brown color, and two species are found in great profusion in bushei
in August and September. Difierent species of EuMHa, which are
often notched upon the back, are found upon the stems of golden
rodi| and birches, and closely resemble the surface they are upon.
They lay masses of white eggs on the plants they frequent Cla^
iopiera prot&us, convex above and in front and highly colored, it
injurious to the cranberry in Massachusetts. It is a common Maine
insect.

T^ftigonidae. — Leaf-hoppers. They pass all their lives on the
leaves of plants, inserting their beaks into the leaves and sucking
the sap, thus causing the leaves to wither and also the twigs, pro^
ducing what is called " Fire-blight,^' having much the same effbot
that the Scolytus produces. »

The species of this family are very numerous, and are found
hopping on leaves and herbage late in the summer, though a fe#
species toe among the earliest spring insects. There are soili#
yellowish species found in moss and grass by the side oft>ools itnd
puddles in woods just as the snow is going off. The^ggs are laid
in autumn to be hatched in the spring. A very abundant species
on grass, producing what is called " frog spittle," can easily be
traced through all its changes by frequently ^amining the froth
which surrounds them. TeiUgoniavittB is a tenth of an inch long,
straw yellow striped wiUi red; it lays its eggs in summer and
hides among the dead leaves during the winter. T. rosae, a still
smaller species, is found 6n the rose. As a family these insects
are characterized generally by their oblong outline, being convet

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60 Eim)MQyKUKCAI# fiWOBT.

above, the head somewhat triangular or crescent shaped, the pro-
thorax is large and of the same width as the bodj; and the legs are
thickly spined.

Aphidae. Every thing about this extensive group is of the
greatest interest, whether it be their structure^ mode of growth
or habits and relations to other insects. They have soft oval
bodies, with two slender tubercles behind, with somewhat square
heads and long slender seven-jointed antennae. The beak is often
half as long as the body. They are generally colored green, and
often have a soft bloom upon the surface. " The brief history of
the general conditions of the development of these insects is as
follows :—Jn the early autumn ^e colonies of plant-lice are com-
posed of botii male and female individuals ; these pair, the males
then die, and the females begin to deposit their eggs, after which
they die also. Early in the spring, as soon as ihe sap begins to
flow, these eggs are hatched, and the young lice immediately begin
to pump up sap from the tender leaves and shoots, increase rapidly
in size, and in a short time come to maturity. In this state it is
found that the whole brood, without a single exception, consists
solely of females, or rather, apd.more properly, of individuals
which are capable of reproducing their kind. This reproduction
takes place by a viviparous generation, there being found in the
individuals in question, young lice, which, when capable of ^ter-
ing upon individual life, escape from their progenitors, and f<Mrm
a new and greatly increased colony. This second generation per-
sues the same course as the first, the individuals of which it is
composed being, like those of the first, sexless, or at least without
any trace of the male sex throughout. These same conditions are
then repeated, and so on almost indefinitely, experiments having
shown that the power of reproduction under such circumstances
may be esercised, according to Bonnet, at least through nine gen-
f rations, while Duvau obtained thus eleven generations in seven
months, his generations being curtailed at this stage not by a
&ilure of the reproductive power, but by the a]^proach of winter;
which killed his specimens ; and Kyler even observed* that, a colony
of Aphis Dianihi, which had been brought into a constantly heated
room, continued to propagate for four years in this manner, without
the intervention of males, and even in this instance it remjains to
be proved how much longer these phenomena might have been
continued.'' Dr. Burnett, firom whom we quote, considers this

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anomalous wi^ of Increvie of indiyidaals as a process 'of bud-
ding, and that the. whole series, like the leaves of a tree, con-
stitutes but a single generation, which results from the union
of the sexes in the previous fall. It has always been supposed
that the final autumoal set of individuals were males and females
alone. Hear Dr. Burnett again : " The terminal brood has hither-
to been considered, as far as I am aware, to be composed exclu-
Mvely of males and females, or, in other words, of perfect insects
ofiboth sexes. I was surprised therefore on examining th^ in-
ternal organs of the non-winged individuals, to find that many of
these last were not females proper, but simply the ordinary gem-
miperous form. Moreover so great was the similarity of appear-
ance between these two forms — true females and gemmiperous
individuals — that they could be distinguished only by an examinar
tion of their internal genitalia.''

Aphides, (Fig. 26,) are found upon every part of • ^^^' ^•
plants. Some species which are wingless, are
found on the roots of plants, others on the stems
or twigs, others roll up leaves, or form gall-like swellings on
leaves ; the grain aphis sucks the sap of the kernel. Ants are
fond of the sweet excretions . from the abdominal stylets, and
often keep them captives in their nests like herds of cattle. Syrphus
flies, and jOoccineUae, keep them within proper limits in nature.
Minute species of Aphidius, small Ichneumons, %ill larger numbers
than we imagine. " When an aphis has received an egg from one
of these parasites, it quits its companions and fastens itself by its
ungues to the under side of a leaf, when it swells into a globular
form, its skin stretched out and dried up, and in a short time the
perfect parasite escapes by a circular hole, the mouth of which
sometimes remwins like a trap door.''

ErioBoma lanigerum, the American blight, a wooly or cottony cov-
ered species, feed on the sap wood of the apple.

Coaoidae, or bark lice, are scale^like in form like miniature oyster
i^ells, and live on the bark of trees, or upon the roots. The males
alone are winged and pass through the* usual changes, while the fe-
male only increases in size, preserving its scale'like form. "Early in
spring the bark lice are found apparently torpid, situated longitud-
inally in regard to the branchy the head upwards, and sticking by
their flattened inferior surface closely to the bark. On attempting
to remove them they are generally crushed, and there issues from

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62 vtmmowoatkL bsbpobt.

the bodj a dark colored fluid. Bj prk^dng them with a pin, ^hey
eaia be made to quit their hold, as I have ofteti seen in the
oommon species, Coccus ffesperidum, infesting the myrtle. A lit-
tie later the body is more swelled, and, on carefully raising it with
a knife, numerous oblong eggs will be discovered beneath it, and
the insect appears dried up and dead, and only its outer skfai
remains, which forms a convex cover to its future progeny. Un-
der this protecting shield the young are hatched, and, on the
approach of Warm weather, make their escape at the lower end of
the shell, which is either slightly elevated or notched at this part.
They then move with consideriEible activity, and disperse titein-
selves over the young shoots or leaves.'' Sarris.

The cocMneal^ prepared from the coccus that lives upon the oae^
tus. In Canada a dye of equal value has been prepared to som^
extent from a native species of this genus. The minute scales
secreting w^ that cover certain species in the East Indies, liable
the natives to prepare the different varieties of i^Uac.

The preceding fomilies beloug to the order ffemoptera of many
writers, but it is difficult to draw the line between the two groups
of families. As a general thing the following families have the
head smaller, the antennae long, and the base of the fore wings
thickened ; the beak is longer; many of the species are carnivorous.
These have by one author been divided into flower-eudlcers and
blood-suckers. "VAien disturbed they emit a disagreeable odor,
and small species are often eaten with fruit, producing a particfi*
ktrly offensive and lasting taste. Various genera, such as Velia,
Gerris and the bed4nig, often have no wings when merely perfect
insects but pads instead^ as all hemipters have when in the pupa
State ; but as the functions of reproduction are carried on, they have
by some writers been called different spebies from the fully winged
individuals;

NotonecHdae, or water-boatmen, are like jP<0^ponta^,*but their legs
are ciliated and formed for swimming. The different species of
Oorixa are common in every pool. Their motions are rapid, div-
ing suddenly to the bottom' and holding on to submerged objects
when disturbed. They fly well, but walk with difficulty.

Nepidae. This group comprises, among others, two singular
genera. Behsioma, containing the largest species in the suborder,
otften measuring three inches in length. They may be seen in
winter swimming beneath the ice of ponds. Manatra is long linear,

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a w«ier walking-stick. The head is small, the forelegs enlarged
and adapted for seizing insects, as they creep about the roots of
aquatic plants.

Hydromeiridae. The gentts Oerris which represents this fanlQy
in Maine, is long, narrowing alike towards both ends, being shaped
like a wherry, and with their long legs they run over the surface
Of ponds and streams, moving backwards and forwards with great
fisMjility. They are among the earliest spring insects.

The following families are terrestial, living for the most part on
plants : *

Bedmmdae. Insects with rather long, somewhat flattened bodies ;
the beak is much curved ; the head is narrowed behind ; the eyes
are very prominent, and the prothorax is much raised in the mid-
dle, with a thin, often serrated ridge. The European Bedutiue
personatus feeds on bed-bugs, its larva and pupa concealed in a
<5aee of dust, the better to approach their prey. PJmaria is very
narrow, with very long legs ; it is common in gardens, and is found
as late as the middle of November. Nobis feruB is stouter, and
very common in gardens.

PerUatomidae, This is a large family of insects, of bright colors,
and ofken of large size. The head is received into the large, broad,
short prothorax, and the scutellum or the triangular piece at the
base of the wings is large and distinct ; they are generally oval in
form. They are found in shrubs, sucking the leaves, or often seiz-
ing some caterpillar with their hooks. De Geer describes the eggs
as being generally of an oval form, attached to leaves at one end
by a glutinous secretion, the other being furnished with a tap,
which the larva busts off when it hatches out. The larvae are
rounded oval.

Goreidae. These insects are narrower than the preceding group;
they are flat above, and beneath convex. They run and fly well,
their habits being generally very active. They are the most gaily
colored, perhaps, of hemiptera. The larvae differ '^^ ^^^
very little from the perfect insects. They are found
on plants, o» at their roots. Phytocoria Hneolaris is
is our most abundant and injurious insect. It ap-
pears early in spring. Coreus trisUa, the squash*
bug, (Fig. 2?,) collects in numbers around the
stems of squash vines next to the roots.

linffis hyaJma represents anotiier family of broad, flattened i

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64 ENTOMOLO0ICAL REPORT.

transparent hemfpters. The hyaMna is very abundant on the wil-
low early in summer.

Oapsns is the type of another family, which consist of small
(E^cies, with soft, rather narrow bodies, and long beaks and legs.
They are very active, flying readily. They are found in flowens,
and on fruit, such as raspberries.

Cimiddae, The bed-bug, {Cimex kctulariiLS,) has a small, some-
what triangular head, orbicular thorax, and large, round flattened
abdomen. It is generally wingless, having only two small wing-
pads instead. The eggs are oval, white; the youn^ escape by
pushing o£f a lid at one end of the shell. They are white, transpa-
rent, differiog from the perfect insect, in having a broad, triangular
head, and short and thick antennae. Indeed, this is the general form
of lice, to which the larva of Cimex^has the closest afSnity. Some
Cimices are parasites, infesting pigeons, swallows, &c., in this way
also showing their near location to lice. The cockroach is the
natural enemy of the bed-bug,- and destroys large numbers. Houses
have been cleared of them after being thoroughly fumigated with
brimstone.

FedicuU, Lice. These degraded, wingless forms of Hemiptera,
stOl preserve the mouth parts in the form of ^ sucker, but it is
fleshy and retractile. The triangular head has two simple eyes.
The body is rather long, the abdomen oval. They are generally
white, and of minute size. The metamorphosis is very incomplete
— that is, there are but slight difierences between the larva and
the imago. The species of Pediculus are blood-suckers, and para-
sitic upon Man and some of the Mammalia ; different species being
found upon different regions of the body. Different varieties are
found living upon the bodies of different races of men.

MaUophaga, bird-lice, live on hair of mammalia and feathers of
birds. In this group there are distinct jaws. Nearly every bird
and mammal has its parasite, so that the number of species is
actually very large.

NliUROPTIRA. •

As a suborder these insects are the most tfquatic of any other
similar group, and it is swampy low grounds, the banks of pools
and rivers, the thick dense damp forests, that the collector must
frequent to find them. The large Dragon-flies when taken by the
net must be killed by brushing with alcohol or benzine carried in a

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• SCIEMTIFIG SUBVST. Q$

vial, and then the wings can be folded together and the insects be
placed in bags, or pieces of paper, as directed for putting up Lepi-
doptera. The smaller, more slender and delicate specie^ should
be pinned directly in the collecting box, &c. Many species are
caught by a light in the nighttime, such as Polysioechotes nehuhsus
and the Phryganeidae ; and a bright light placed in damp situa*
tions by streams, &c., will attract large numbers. Like moths the
smaller species are attracted a great distance by light. Other
species of this family so numerous in New England, are found in
great numbers floating in the lakes and ponds of the wild lands of
Msdne that are rare elsewhere. For the proper study of the genera
of these insects, and often of the species, they shotild be collected
in alcohol, so as to be studied in a flexible state.

The aquatic larvae and pupae can easily be reared in aquaria in
jars and tumblers, taking care that the weaker species are sepa-
rated from those more powerful and bloodthirsty. The little ento-
mostraca or water-fleas serve as food for the smaller species.
With very little care many species can be raised in this way, and
so little is known of their transformation that figures and descrip-
tions would be of great value. The interesting and varied habits
of the different, families can also easily be noted. They can be
called summer insects, since few are found late in the fall or early
in the spring. Hemerobius and several species of Phryganeids
are found ere the snow has gone in the spring, — a few species of
the latter family are found in November.

Termiiidae, White ants, so called, from their resemblance to
ants, and the snowy whiteness of their wings, and the pale colored
female, like the true ants, are social, living in communities ; while
the majority are wingless males, often called neuters. In the
winged individuals the wings are much larger than the body, being
folded, when at rest, one upon the other. The wingless individ-
uals have an enormous head with scissor-like maodibles. The
American white ant, Termes frontalis, has been found in Massachu-
setts ruining the roots and stems of the grape vine. The insect is
careful to conceal its work by leaving the outer crust intact. It
feeds on dead wood, eating the inside of the sill of the house next
to the grape vine.

Psocidae, These little insects when winged, as most usual, and
flying about in August, have a remarkable resemblance to Aphides.
The body is soft and short ; the head is broader than the thorax ;

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the wings are broad, the second pair much smaller than the first,
both having raised nervures ; the proUiorax is very short.

Atropos divinaiorius is the little wingless louse^like insect always
running over the leaves of books, imd about dusty places, and the j
feed on cabinet specimens, sometimes doing considerable injury.
These little soil insects should be gummed on pieces of cards, or
put into alcohol ; while the winged species can be pinned witb
soiall pins.

Phryganeidae. (Caddice-flies, Case-worms.) The imago has a
rounded body, with moderately broad, parallel veined win^s, which
are folded on the sides of the body, and the head is provided with
hng antemuie and palpL Both larvae and pupae are active. The
smaller species are often hardly distinguishaUe frott many ■■ill
moths. The female lay their eggs in gelatinous masses on aquatic
plants, above or beneath the surface of the water. The larvae are
found abundantly in the bottom of ponds, in cylindrical cases of
grass or stems of reeds, or bits of sticks, sand, minute shells, &c.
They assume different forms, sometimes a long, conical shape, or
imitating snail shells. The larva lines the interior with silk, and
by bristles on ihe side of the body and a pair of anal hooks keeps
its body adhering to ihe sides of the case while it drags it over the
bottom. They eat large quantities of minute water fleas (entomos-
traca) and small insects, while many are herbivorous, the larger
ones eating whole leaves that have been submerged, while the
smaller ones leave the veins entire. When about to change to
pupae, the larva closes up the mouth of its case with a net-work
like a grate for iho passage of the water for respiration. When
about to leave the pupa state they crawl up stems of plants, or
the smaller species use their light cases as rafts to rest upon ajs
their wings are drying.

Neuronia semifasciaia, (Fig. 28,) is Fw- 28.

our largest species, and is taken away
from damp places; but the smaller
species are only taken on leaves of
bushes and herbage by streams and
ponds. They run swiftly, but fly with
some difSculty. The species are nu-
merous. They should be pinned as moths, and their wings set
carefully.

Perlidae. Lonj^, flat neuroptera, whose hind wings are largest,

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•csiNniio flottvw.

ei

the abdomea with two terminid long filiform tfpendi^s. Tke
females of Perla are shorter and have much smaller wings than the
males. The pupae are active, with prominent wing-pads/ they are
foQBd in rivers under stones, while the imagines fiy on the bank^
or are found resting on leaves, always in damp low situations.
JPteronareys is distinguished from other genera by its large size,
aod possession of several pairs of outer tufts of filaments serving
tm organs lor respiration.

Myrmeleon, the Ant-Uon is the type of wiother family, very car-
nivorous in their habits. They resemble- the Libellulidae very much
except in having long antennae. The larvae, on the contrary, bear
ai close reaemblaQce to that of Ohrysopa figured below. It makes
a pitfall in sand in which it hides, only showing its large jaws open
to seize any insect that may fall into them. These insects have
not been found in Maine.

ffemerobiidae. Aphis-lions, Lace-winged flies. Chrytopa, here
figured, has a slender body, delicate, Fia. 99.

gauze-[ike wings, and is generally green,
with golden eyes. When disturbed it
throws out a fetid smell. They are very
abundant in summer wherever plant lice
are found, laying their eggs placed on
long pedicils on leaves. The larvae (Fig. 30) feed ravenously on
the lice, and when other food is wanting, on each Fio. 30.
other. They turn to pupae late in summer and pass
the winter in that state. Gardeners in Europe
search for these Aphis-lion d and put a pair or two
on trees overrun with lice which they soon depop-
ulate. Eemerobius proper, has broad pale rings,
and is of smaller size than Chrysopa.

Sialidae, This group comprises aquatic, sluggish
insects of moderate or of immense size. They have large heads
with large jaws, square thoracic rings; and the abdomen in
Gorydalis cornuta has long anal filaments. This genus expands
five or six inches, and the head is armed with immense horns, be-
sides the long antennae, while the long wings are folded horizon-
tally. In Sialis americana, an insect not an inch long and found
resting pn leaves of trees in their perfect state, the wings are de-
flexed on the sides, as in Chrysopa.

Fanorpa represents another family, which have the head long and
narrow, wings narrow and banded, and the tail armed with a lor-

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68 ENTOMOLOGICAL BXPOKT.

ceps-Iike apparatus. It is common in woods and ibeds upon other
insects.

MbeUulidae, Dragon-flies. Devil's-daming-needle. Mnsqnitoe-
hawks. DemoiseUea in France. The head is large and globnlar,
eyes immense, encircling the head; thorax square, wings large
net-veined, equal; abdomen long linear, cylindrical. They are
continually flying over pools, hawking for smaller insects ii^ hot
* summer days, flying often till dusk. Though dreaded by most
persons, they are perfectly harmless, though giving a sharp bite
with their powerful jaws when held in the hand. They are difficult
to kill, and should be brushed with alcohol or benzyie, or killed
by ether. The Agrionidas are small slender species of graceful
form, and blue, green or bronze or red colored, flying away and
alighting upon rushes in the water, and are easy to catch ; they
must be pinned carefully, and are very brittle when di-y. The
large species are hard to catch ; patience and swiftness in the use
of the net will soon render the beginner dexterous. These insects
have also their subimago state. They should be described in life,*
as the colors fade rapidly aftej death. The larvae (Pig. 31) dre
interesting. They have large jaws, marked by an p^^ gj
immense labium, otherwise the mouth parts are
much like grasshoppers, &c. The larva of Agrion
is slender and long, with thin caudal lanceolate
plates. They all walk over the bottom in search of
other insects, and propel themselves more rapidly
by ejecting behind them, with considerable force, a
stream of the water that has been used for respiration.

Ephemeridae or May flies, as their name implies, are very short
lived insects. They have weak slender bodies, obsolete mouth-
parts as they take no food in the perfect state, minute antennae,
the wings are very unequal in size, and the abdomen has two or
three long appendages. The May flies soon after leaving the pupa
case with their wings of full size, cast off a thin pellicle. This
moulting is attended by a change of color and of increase of length
of the tail-like appenjiages, and this period is called the subimago
state. They fly towards evening in large numbers. The larvae
while resembling the imagines, have long antennae, mandibles for
chewing, lateral ciliated filaments along the sides of the body for
breathing organs, and three caudal filaments. They live, it is
st^ed, two or three years. They either live in burrows, under

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SCIENTinC SURVEY. 69

stones, or among grass and weeds, when they may be taken with
the water net in great abundance, and are beautiful objects for
aquaria. The perfect insects should be preserved in alcohol for
study, as they shrivel up when pinned. They should be described
when alive if possible.

Ihysanura. — Spring-tails. These interesting, minute, wingless
forms, which seem to afford a passage into the Myriapods by the
uniform size of their rings, which form a continuous series, from
their head to the extremity, without showing the usual divisions
into three divisions of the body, seem tp be but a degraded form
of neuroptera by their resemblance to the larvae of Perla and
Ephemera ; for like them they have long antennae, distinct jaws
and maxillae, and also caudal setae or bristles on the terminal ring
of the body. Their limbs also strongly resemble those of Perla.
Moreover they undergo no metamorphosis, the larva gradually
assuming the i\dult form by successive changes of their skin. The
species are found abundantly in moist, dark places, under sticks,
stones, among fallen leaves, or under bark of trees, while some
occur in great profusion about manure heaps and hot beds in early
spring.

Podura. This genus is rather broad, the body is hairy ^®- ^2.
with a few scales, antennae short and few jointed ; the
head is separate from the thorax, and the abdomen is
provided with setae converted into a forked tail bent
beneath the body, used for leaping to a great distance.
They are found in gardens, hot beds, or leaping on the
surface of the water in quiet pools.

Lepisma, (Pig. 32,) is long, and covered with minute

silvery scales ; the antennae are rather short, and the

•abdomen has three long bristles. The species run

rapidly and ar6 found in old books, in woolen cl6ths

• which they eat, in mould and under bark, &c.

Arachnida.
Spiders have no antennae. Their legs present seven distinct
joints, and the tarsi are two jointed. At the base of the mandibles
is a vesicle filled with pkMson^ which can be poured into the tips of
the jaw, and thus poison the insects bitten by the spider. This
bite, except in rare instances, is harmless to man. " Scorpions
^e viviparous. With the egg-laying spiders, the eg^^ under the

6

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70 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

changes of development, slowly loses its previous form, and almost
assumes that of a spider, indicating all the external parts of the
enclosed animal. At length the shell bursts on the thorax, and
the spider, first with the head, and afterwards with the thorax,
comes to view ; then follows the abdomen, to which, -ho wever, the
egg-membrane, like a scale, continues attached for a time ; then
comes the feelers and feet. The young spider, through whose in-
tegument the granules of the yolk may be clearly distingished, is
not yet in a state to weave a web and catch its prey ; for the spin-
ning organs are still concealed beneath the common integument.
After the lapse of a week, or, in some species, a longer time, dur-
ing whioh the spider takes no food, it casts its skin for the first
time, and is, as it were, bom for the second time. The young
spiders now quit, on some mild day in May or June, the web in
which the mother had hidden her eggs ; they allow themselves to
fall on the ground by a thread, and begin at once to weave their
nets, or in some other way, according to the instinct of their kind,
to watch for small insects corresponding to their age and powers.

" Most arachnids feed on other animals, which they either swal-
low alive, or whose blood and fluids they suck. Usually after
their escape from the egg, they undergo no metamorphosis. They
cast, however, their skin more than once, and are commonly after
the fourth or fifth moult, in a state for pairing.'' Van der Hceven.

In Studying spiders, of which we have in New England over two
hundred species, the number and relative situation of the eyes,
and the relative length of the different pairs of legs should be
noticed. Their web and the manner of constructing them ; their
habitats, whether spreading their webs upon or in the ground, or in
trees, or on herbage, or whether the species is aquatic, or whether
the species is erratic, and pursue their prey withouji building webs
to entrap them, should be observed. So, also, how they deposit,
their eggs, and the form and appearance of the silken nidus, and
whether the female bears her eggs about her, and how this is done,
whether holding on to the egg-sac by her fore or hind legs, should
all be carefully noticed. Care must be taken not to mistake the
young for full-grown, mature species, and describe them as such.
Spiders can reared in boxes as insects. The only way to preserve
them is to throw them into alcohol ; when pinned, they shrivel up
and lose their colors, which keep well in spirits.

The colors of spiders vary much at different seasons of the year.

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SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. * 7X

especially during the frosts of autumn, when the changes produced
are greatest. All spiders are directly beneficial to agriculture by
their carnivorous habits, as they all prey upon insects, and do no
harm to vegetation. Their instincts are wonderful, and their habits
and organization worthy of more study than has yet been paid
them. We have n6 species poisonous to man, except when the
state of heal|th renders the constitution open to receive injury from
their bite, just as musquitoes and black fiies often cause serious
harm to some persons.

The Arachnids are divided into two groups of families : First,

PULMONARIA,

which have pulmonary sacs for respiration, and six to twelve ocelli.
ThiQ group includes two families, one consisting of the true Spiders,
the other of the Scorpions.

Araneidae. Spiders. Palpi simple pediform ; mandibulae armed
with a moveable and perforated claw, emitting a poisonous liquid.
The genera have been divided by Walckenaer :

1. Into those that incessantly run or leap about the vicinity of
their abode to chase and catch their prey. Mygale hides in holes
in the ground or among stones. The largest spiders are found in
tiiis genus. Filiaiaia forms white silk tubes in walls and crevices
of rocks. Dysdera is found in silken tubes under ground. Segestria
makes silken tubes under the bark of trees. Lycosa is found under
stones, in holes, &c., bearing their cocoons attached to their anus,
and carrying their young on their back. The Tarantula of Italy
belongs to this genus. *L.fatifera lives in holes nearly a foot deep.
These holes seem to be dug by the spider, and to be increased
gradually, as its size may require ; the opening has a ring of fila-
ments woven by the spider to prevent the filling up of the cavity
by rain. In Dohmedes the female of one species constructs a
web not unlike that of Tegenoria. They wander near streams or
ponds, often hiding under the surface of the water, or rambling on
trees. Sphasus makes no web, except when the female makes her
cocoon. The species wander in quest of prey about the trunks of
small trees, or upright trees, and when at rest, spread their feet
like many species of Thomisus. I have reason to think that the
young are carried on the back of the mother as in Lycosa. ( JSente,
in whose words most of these remarks are ^iven.) AUits leaps
prodigiously after its prey. Some species closely resemble ants.

2. Into those species which wander abroad and are incessantly

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72 ENTOMOLOGICAL RllPbRT.

spying out for prey. No fixed residence except at the period of
oviposition. They also walk and run sideways or backwards;
occasionally throwing out threads to entrap their prey. Thomisus
wanders after its prey on flowers, rails, trees, &c.

3. Into those that prowl about the neighborhood of their nests,
or near the 1 breads which they throw out to catch, their prey.
Clubiona forms sifken tubes in leaves which they twist, or under
the bark of trees. Most species fly about in the air, by means of
a long thread, at the end of which they suspend themselves, and
which is borne by the wind, sometimes raising them to a great
height. HerpyUas makes no web or tube for its dwelling, but wan-
ders for its prey, and runs with great velocity. H. atec is a small
black species found under stones in highways ; J71 ecclesiasticus is
blackish with a white band on the head-thorax, a band on the ab-
domen, beginning at base and reaching the middle, and a spot near
the apex white. This one attains to a great size, and is found in
houses, under stones, planks, the bark of decaying trees, &c.

4. Into those which spin large webs to entrap their prey, lying
in wait in the middle or at the side. Agelena makes in the fields a
web which is spread horizontally, and at the upper part of which
is a tube lor the retreat of the spider. Theridium makes a web
formed of threads crossed irregularly in every diiection. Most
species of this genus are the common prey of the several species
of Sphex, called sand-daubers, Fholcus inhabits the ceiling of
houses. Tegenaria makes in houses, cellars and other dark places
the common webs, which are spread horizontally, and have a tube,
usually concealed in a hole or crevice, for the reception of the
spider. This is the common house spider, the web of which is
narcotic and has been administered internally in some cases of fever
with success. Epeira \& the common large grey species with a full
round abdomen which makes its large circular web in corners, &c.

5. Into those which swim in water, and then spread their fila-
ments to entrap their prey. Argyroneia lives in fresh water.
"One species spins a bell-shaped, waterrproof web that is filled
with air, and open below ; this it attaches to water plants by
threads." We have a species perhaps of this genus that collects
on the leaves of water plants, and when disturbed plunges to the
bottom, carrying with it a bubble of water. We 'have one
species of spider which makes a noise somewhat resembling the
purring of a cat ; during the production of the sound the body
makes a tremulous motion it is said.

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SCtENTIFIC SURVEY. * 78

The second group of families, which is called

Tbachearia, '
embraces those arachnids which breathe by means of tracheae, or
air tubes and do not hav« more than four ocelli.

Pseudo'scorpionidae. This family includes Ghelifer, a small
scorpion-like animal, which has a large, broad, flattened abdomen,
distinctly ringed ; and the palpi are much enlarged, bearing a claw
at the extremity much like that of a lobster. A species is very
common in books and dusty boxes, drawers, &c.

Phalangidae, Harvest-men, Daddy long-legs. The common
long, slender legged, round, oval-bodied spiders, so abundant
everywhere out of doors in corners and damp places, and often
called by the names above given, are known to every one. The
legs come off easily, and when separated from the body for some
time show considerable irritability.

Acarina. Mites have the head-thorax joined in a mass with the
abdomen, and not divided apparently into rings. They are all of
small size, some very minute. Trombidium has two horny mandi-
bles, which are clawed at the end, included in the labium, which
in the mites surrounds the mouth parts, thus forming a tube-like
organ. This genus includes the little square velvet red mite, seen
generally in the spring in flower beds,. or in moss, &e. Another
similar kind of red mite is common about decaying matter under
stones and sea weed between tide marks on the sea shore. They
are mostly parasitic, such as the itch mite. Ixodes, the tick, lives
in woods and attaches itself to animals. Many species (ffo-
masus) are found on insects, especially beetles. The. species of '
Hydrachna live on water-bugs, &c. In coming to maturity it
passes through forms which have been described as distinct genera
by authors. They should be preserved in small vials of alcohol, or
mounted for the microscope.

Myriapoda.

All the species, of which we have but a few in New England,
live hidden under stones and sticks, leaves, &c.. The larvae when
hatched have generally nine rings which afterwards increase in
some cases to eight times that number.

The families are divided into two suborders, of which the first,
the Chilopoda, comprises those myriapods which have the body
flattened, with a limited number of rings, each- of which has a

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74 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPOKT.

single pair of legs articulated to the sides, of which the last pair
is largest and extended backwards. The antennae are long and
with numerous joints.

Lithobiidae. Lithobins, (Fig. 38,) called in this Fio. 33.
country Ear-wig, is our most common genus, and is
found every where, under sticks and about manure
heaps, where they feed upon insects and earth worms,
and are in turn devoured by the red back salamander.
The head is large orbicular, antennae forty-jointed, long
and filiform, and there are sixteen rings in all. They
are fast runners. ^

Scolopendrtdae, Scolopendra, the Centipede, has
twenty rings besides the two that form the head ; an-
tennae 17-20 jointed. A rather slender species about
three inches in length, is found in .Maine, under dead
leaves.

Geophilidae. Geophilus is greatly elongated and slender, with
many rings, from thirty to two hundred. A small, slender species,
is common under leaves, and debris of freshets, where so many
varieties can be found.

Those Myriapods included in the second suborder, ChilogncUha,
have a greater number of rings, each of which bears two pairs of
legs, and few jointed short antennae. In Polydesmus the body is
still flattened and the legs* articulated upon the sides of the body.
A species occurring in considerable abundance with the myriapods
is about ah inch long and of a pale brown color.

Julidae, (Thousand-legs. ) Julus is found commonly under sticks,
&c. It is long, cylindrical, hard, with numerous feet, short and
weak, attached to the under surface of the body nearly in the
middle of the abdomen. The antennae are short and filiform.
They crawl rather slowly, and at rest curve the body into a ring.
They live on vegetable substances, or eat dead earth worms or
snails. " In the spring the female deposits her eggs in masses of
sixty or seventy, in a hole excavated for the purpose under the
ground ; after three weeks or more the young make their appeftr-
ance, but still continue to adhere for some days by a string to the
shell, which has burst longitudinally without motion, and sur-
rounded with a proper membrane ; at that period they have no
legs at all ; as soon as they have got three pairs of feet, they sep-
arate themselves from the shell ; they have now a great resem-
blance to the larvae of some Coleoptera ; soon the number of rings

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SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 75

and feet begins to be [periodically] increased in that part of the
body which is seated in front of the penultimate ring.'.' Van der
JBoeven.

Entomological Journal. Every collector should keep a daily
diary of his captures and observations, noting down every fact and
hint that falls under his notice. In this book, commenced as soon
as the season opens in early spring, can be placed on record the
earliest appearance, the time of greatest abundance, and the dis-
appearance, of every insect in any of its stages. Also the descrip-
tions of larvae and observations upon their habits, with sketches
of them ; though drawings had better be kept upon separate pieces
of paper for easier reference. The insects when captured and un-
named, should be numbered and refer tocorresponding numbers in
the note book. At the close of the season one will be surprised
to see how much material of the ^ind has accumulated. He can
then make a calendar of appearances of perfect iusects and larvae,
so as to have the work of the next season portioned out to him ;
he will thus know when and where to look for any particular insect
or caterpillar.

Cabinet.' After the insects have been thoroughly dried they
may be transferred to a chest of drawers of a convenient size, say
eighteen by twenty inches and two and one-half inches deep,
corked upon the bottom and glazed above, and thus rendered as
nearly air tight as possible to keep out Dermestes, mites and
moths. The insects should be arranged neatly in rows, labelled or
numbered with small pieces of paper attached to the pin. Enou^
individuals should be selected to illustrate the sexes and variations
of the species. Boxes three inches or more deep and twelve by
eighteen inches square, rabbetted around the edges rather broadly,
are very convenient. Cork in sheets can be had bf E. Beechiug &
Co., Commercial St., Boston. It can be cut in strips or the whole
surface covered and fastened down with glue, or better still with
tacks. The pith of elder, corn stalk, or felt or palm wood, are
substitutes for cork. For.transportiug specimens for exchanges,
they should be pinned securely in boxes, lined with compact
cork, and the boxes wrapped in cotton, covered thickly with paper,
and then placed in a larger box.

For guarding with some success against the attacks of insects,
the drawers should be provided with camphor or little bottles con-
taining spirits of turpentine or benzine, to be kept always full.

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76 ENTOMOLOGICAL REPORT.

Specimens can be relaxed by exposing them to steam or hot
water. Lepidoptera can be softened and their wings expanded,
after having been laid on moist sand for a few days, or confined in
a vessel of warm water on the surface of which they can be floated
on bits of cork.

The strongest alcohol is necessary for preserving insects ; and
when a bottle has been filled, the old alcohol should be poured out
and kept for other coUectipna, and its place filled by fresh alcohol.

When the collector has no box with him his captures can be
wrapped in papers or stuck on his hat, or in the lining within.
Lepidoptera can be very easily laid in papers a little longer than
broad, which should be so folded that the opposite comers can be
laid one upon the other, leaving a margin on the under side which
can be folded upon the upper side, thus making a triangular paper
case, in which the insect soon dries. In this way many specim^ens
can be easily transported.

Entomological Works.

The best introduction to American Entomology is the new
edition of Dr. Harris's Treatise on Insects. It not only classifies
and describes many of our New England insects, illustrating them
with colored engravings and wood cuts in great profusion, but is
of special value to farmers, from the great amount of information
about the habits of noxious insects. Br. Fitch's Reports on the
Noxious and Beneficial Insects of New York, with some illustra-
tions, and accounts of the habits of many insfects not especially
noticed in the former work, is a very necessary book to have.
Kirby and Spence's Introduction to Entomology, and Westwood's
Introduction to the Modern Classification of Insects, are still more
general works, almost indispensable to the beginner.

Very many of our American insects have been collected by Euro-
peans, and described by their entomologists in the transactions and
proceedings of learned societies, which are to be found only in our
large libraries. There are also many large and expensive general
works, including those of Linnaeus, Fabricius, -Count De Geer,
Palisot de Beauvois, Drury, Bosc and Coquebert, which include
many North American species.

St. Fargeau, Newman and Haliday, in the Entomological Maga-
zine ; Smith in the British Museum Catalogues of Hymenoptera,
and M. De Saussure in his Monographs of the Yespidae, have

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SCIENTIFIC SUEVBT. 77

described many of our bymenopters. Htibiier, Oramer, Madam
Merian,* and more lately Herricb-Scbadffer, Doubleday and West-
wood, have published large illustrated works, containing many of
our Lepidoptera. Qu^ne^ has published five illustrated volumes
where hundreds of our moths are first described. Likewise, for
the Diptera, the special works of Desvoidy, Macquart, If eigen,
Wiedemann, Zetterstett and Loew, are necessary to identify North
American flies.

For Coleoptera, which have been largely described abroad, the
standard authors are still more numerous. The names of Aub^,
Bonelli, Ericbson, Dalman, Dejean, Illiger, Elug, Enoch, Eschs-
choltz, Forster, Qermar, Oravenhorst, Qu^rin, Hope, Lacordaire,
Newman, Faykull and Schdnherr, can only be mentioned. Bur-
meister in his Hand-book of Entomology has described many of
our beetles, Orthoptera, Neuroptera and some Hemiptera. Stoll,
Herrich-Schaeffer, Hahn and Haliday have also described more
Hemiptera. Serville, in his Natural History -of Orthoptera, men-
tions many American grasshoppers. There is also the geI\^ral
work of Bambur published like those of St. Fargeau, Macquart,
Qu^ne^ and Serville, in the Suite k Buffon in Paris, with those of
De Selys Longcamp on Libellulidae. Pictet has written on the
Perlidae and Ephemeridae, while several papers of Hagen treat of
the Neuroptera. The British Museum is publishing catalogues
of the various suborders containing great numbers of American
insects.

Of those works treating of American insects exclusively, the
rare and costly work of Smith and Abbot on the Rarer Lepidop-
terous Insects of Georgia, delineates the metamorphosis of many
southern butterflies and moths. More lately Boisduval and Le
Gonte issued an Iconography of North American butterflies,
giving ^ drawings of the metamorphosis of many species. This
important work leaves the Hesperidae unfinished. In 18'17-18,
Thomas Say published his American Entomology, which includes
insects of all the suborders, in three finely illustrated 8vo. vol-
umes, accompanied with a glossary. This, with ^Say's miscellan-
eous papers, which chiefiy appeared in the Journal of the Philadel-
phia Academy of Natural Sciences, have been re-printed under the*
care of Dr. Le Gonte. Through the Transactions of the American
Philosophical Society, the Journal and Proceedings of the Phila-
delphia Academy of Natural Sciences, the Annals of the New Todc

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78 ElfBOIiOLOCaCAL BBOBT.

•
I^ieeiim of Nstaral History, the Proceedings and Journal of tbe

Boston Society of Nad;aral History, and the Proceedings of the Pbol-
adelphia Entomological Society which has lately been established,
are scattered m^noirs and tracts by Melsheimer, Ziegler, Henis,
Harris, Haldeniim, and the two Le Gontes, which are mostly npon
Oeleoptera. Dr. Bandall pnblfahed a paper describing mai^ new
beetles from Maine in the Boatonr Journal. Dr. Clem^is has pub-
lished in the Philadelphia Journal a synopsis of North American
Sphingidae ; and in the Proceeding^ of the same Society descrip-
tions and notes of the habits of the small moths. Mr. Scudder has
printed in the Boston Journal '' Materials for a monograph of
North American Orthoptera */' and Messrs. Uhkr and Walsh have
wnten upon the Neuroptera. of the United States. Mr. Nortcm
has described in the Proceedings of the BcM^ton Society descrip-
tions of new Mymenoptera* Baron Osten-Sacken has printed in
the Phil. Proceedings im elaborate paper on the Limmbia^ a
gproup of Tipulidae^ and also his researches on OaQ-flies and thdr
pr^ucts.

The insects of British America have been treated of in Kirby's
Fanna Boreali^-Americana. This well illustrated quarto volume is
of special vtdue, since it describes so many insects which are found
in Maine. In the New York State Natural History Beports, is a
quarto volume, with many plates Ulustrating the injurious and
beneficial insects of that State, by Dr. Emmons. Mention shoidd
also be made of the writings of Mr. Townsend Glover on the Cotton
and Orange insests of the Southern States, which appeared in
several volumes of the Patent Office Beports, imd of several papers
l^ Le Conte, in the Beports of the Pacific B. B. Exploration, and
Stansbury's Beport on the Salt Lake.

There is still needed a general work to combine these scat-
tered materials, and the results of further investigations. The
Smithsonian Institution is in a great measure supplying this defi-
ciency, and promoting a^ zeal for these studies that is being
manifested throughout the •country. Catalogues of the Lepidop-
tera, and also a compilation of all the descriptions of the Lepi-
doptera of North America as far as the Bombycesj by Dr. Morris;
'of the Diptera by Baron Osten-Sacken, with a treatise on the
CeddomycB and tbeir galls ;. together with Monogr£4>hs of several
Dipterous fiunilies by an eminent European Dipterist, M. Loew ;
and of the Goleoptera by Dr. Meldieimer, revised by Le Conte and

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SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. 79

Haldeman, and also a work entitled the Clasisification of the Coleop-
tera of North America, (Part I,) by Dr. Le Conte, together with a
synopsis of the Neuroptera of North America, by H. Hagen, an
accomplished Neuropterist of Belgium, have been issued under the
auspices of th*at Institution, Similar works on Hymenoptera by
M. De Saussure of Geneva ; and on the Hemiptera by Mr. Uhler of
Baltimore, are in course of preparation for the Smithsonian Collec-
tions. A list of described North American Hymenoptera by Mr.
Cresson, is now appearing in»the Proceedings of the Entomological
Society of Philadelphia. H. C. W^pd, Jr., has written in the Phi-
ladelphia Journal, an account of the Chilopodous Myriapods of the
United States. The Spiders of the Southern States more especially,
have Deen described and beautifully illustrated by Prof. Hentz, in
the^Boston Journal of Natural Histoiy.

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